


You Can Touch Stars

by Neuroticnasty



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Adopted Children, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anal Fingering, Angst, Betrayal, Body Horror, Body Modification, Bullying, Canonical Character Death, Death, Dreams and Nightmares, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Harm to Children, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M, Masturbation, Mental Breakdown, Mental Instability, Mention of Death, Multi, Mutilation, Non-Consensual Body Modification, Rape/Non-con Elements, Reader-Insert, Rutting, Self-Acceptance, Self-Harm, Smut, Threats of Rape/Non-Con, Vaginal Fingering, reader - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-15
Updated: 2018-09-03
Packaged: 2018-09-17 15:10:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 29
Words: 58,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9330878
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Neuroticnasty/pseuds/Neuroticnasty
Summary: "Stars have too long been symbols of the unattainable. They should not be so. For although our physical hands cannot reach them, we can touch them in other ways."--(Esther Baldwin York).What do these dreams mean to you? Since you were little your dreams were abnormal. Each dream was like a trial as if preparing you for some task. After making acquaintance with the prince, these dreams only became more frequent. As more people come into your life, things only become a bigger mess. Dreams, gods, magic,  stars, curses, and every other mythical aspect is becoming reality. (Future chapters may contain explicit content)





	1. After School Days: Cleaning Duties with Noctis

**Author's Note:**

> "A fantasy based on reality"
> 
> This fanfic is influenced by dreams I've been having since playing the game and completing the game. The fiction will continue with or without my dreams. The reader will have various relationships, none will conflict with the end of the story. So please just enjoy the little things about this series.
> 
> Contact me  
> Tumblr: http://toreadortacos.tumblr.com/  
> Twitter: @H3nroko

**"Reach high, for stars lie hidden in your soul. Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal."--Pamela Vaull Starr**

_You were dreaming again._

_The flourishing green landscape was foreign to you, although it felt familiar. Something inside told you that you were supposed to be here. Even if you were lost, there was a tugging sensation in your mind that navigated you through the ruin like area._

_Structures of different shapes and sizes covered the area. Some still intact while others were simply shadows of what they used to be. However, just enough remained to safely get around with no more than just climbing stairs._

_The air around was clear, with the scent of salt. You figured you were near the ocean and kept your ears sharp for the sound of waves. The clear blue sky hung overhead without a speck of white, leaving you with no clues to where you were._

_Looking ahead, the ruins glowed a faint blue light, as if the structure itself wanted to guide you. Without a second thought, you followed the light into the ruins. The light traveled in long lines on the floor, across the walls, and up the stairs. You weren't sure if you were coming closer to the end, but the sound of waves gave you hope._

_Eventually, you came near a cliff. You made the assumption that this was the end of the journey and began to rest at the edge of the cliff. A strong breeze hit you and made you turn around. Before you rested a fixture similar to a pavilion, but partially in shambles. There was enough to provide shelter and access to a skyway. The lights led up the skyway and glowed brighter._

_You slowly made your way into the pavilion and up to the skyway. This time, the light made a sort of tunnel within the skyway. You made the assumption it was shown that way for you to see through the darkness. The light was dull but comforting._

_At the end of the walkway was a spacious room with strange writing on the walls. Much like glyphs, of which glowed a light similar to the light that guided you. These glyphs were in a language you couldn't comprehend, but some you could decipher. On a whim, you managed to theorize that the glyphs wanted you to stand in the center._

_You pondered over this idea for a short while. The argument of having nothing better to do pushed you into action. Once you stood in the center, light overcame your body. The light felt warm and inviting, overcoming you with relief._

_You didn't know why, but words fell from your lips. These words were vague and it was hard to tell what they referred to. But eventually, you would come to understand what they meant._

_"He won't forget me after this"._

"If I have to clean, then so do you".

You woke with a start.

The dreamscape you were immersed in faded away into as you returned to reality. With drowsy eyes, you turned to the voice who had pulled you back. You met stormy blue eyes that reflected amusement. "And the guys tease me for sleeping" he continued with a smirk.

"I don't blackout nearly as much as you do, Noct" you chided rising from your seat. Said youth scoffed and continued to dust the erasers. Like always, he picked the easiest thing to do. You snatched up the broom he most likely left next to your desk for when you would wake.

You swept in silence, only stifling laughter when Noct coughed from all the dust. You came across a hoodie draped over a seat. You recognized the design to be that of Noctis's trainer Gladiolus. You knew him outside of Noctis's influence, but eventually, you came to associate him as the prince's trainer. Although, Gladiolus continued to be friendly with you as if you had been friends long before.

"Gladiolus was here?" you said taking the clothing into your hands. It felt heavy, only making you wonder if Gladiolus even felt the weight of it. "Yeah, you were still asleep so we were quiet," Noctis said as he approached you. He watched your hands ball into fists, drawing the article close to your chest. "I'll...go return this, he's probably looking for it" you wasted no time leaving the classroom and striding down the hallway.

Your uniform swayed with each powerful stride. The objective to return the hoodie filled you with energy. It didn't take long for you to find the guard to be. His eyes lit up at the sight of you, as they always do. "Hey, you found it!" Gladiolus announced with amusement. You gave him a crossed look and held it to him at a distance. His larger hands came around your own and rested there.

"You were out cold, I'm surprised you came looking for me" he laughed. "I just wanted to stretch my legs is all" you scoffed trying to pull away, he always did this. Trapped your hands in his, feigning innocence when it annoyed you. "You hang around Noct too much, he is wiping off on you" he replied with a smirk. "Yeah, yeah, just let me go I have to go back" you rolled your eyes as you spoke. "Back to Noct?" you didn't like the way his eyebrow rose.

"Back to clean, now take your sack of rocks you call a hoodie".

Once you were free from his strong grip, you slipped him a quick goodbye and left. Your long strides carried you back to the classroom quickly. You gently opened the doors, unfazed by what you saw. Noctis sat at his desk sitting still. Upon closer look, he was asleep with his palm supporting his head. Your hands gently circled his shoulders and caressed his face. Fingers finding his cheeks and tugging lightly.

"Shit!" Noctis jolted awake and swatted you away. "Can't you wake me like a normal person?" he growled still in his sleepy haze. "I could, but that wouldn't be nearly as fun" you replied curtly. You took a seat in the desk next to him, your desk. Placing your hand in your palm, you stared blankly at the blackboard. You could feel Noctis's eyes on you but you didn't want to look at him. It wasn't that you didn't like looking at him. His eyes always gave you a nice feeling, something you didn't want to describe. Fear ate away at you when you tried to categorize the feeling.

A bit of time passed before he spoke up. "How much gas do you think it would take to get out of the city?" Noctis asked looking at the board as well. You were quiet for a moment before replying to him. "A lot, where are you planning on going?" his words ignited curiosity in you. "I was hoping we could take a trip, doesn't matter where we go as long as you come," he said continuing to stare at the board.

A laugh bubbled in your throat and overflowed onto your lips. "Are you even allowed behind the wheel?" you laughed finally turning to him. Your face felt tight from smiling too hard. "Hey, I can drive you know" he laughed turning to you as well. A smile graced his face, the one he only wore with you. "GTA doesn't count as driving _Naptis_ " both of you broke into a fit of laughter.

It was times like these that you would come to cherish. Innocence unaware of the tragic fate that lies in wait for him, and for you.


	2. Lunch Break: Incoming Prompto?!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Secrets are kept for a reason. What would he think of you if he knew? What would they think? What are you?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you already beat the game, this may impact you a bit more than if you haven't. This one is a bit heavier.
> 
> The flowers described are Lithodora diffusa.

**"Each soul has it's secret place, Where none  may enter in, Save it and God--to them alone, What goeth on therein is known--To it and God alone."--John Oxenham**

_You were sure this was a dream this time. The room you were in was empty and white. There was a large window on the opposite side, sliding doors being the only way to reach the outside world. You walked over to it and gazed outside at a quiet seaside. "Beautiful isn't it?" you turned around as a voice echoed through the room. A table now rested in the center of the room, with two cushions on opposite ends. Small blue flowers littered the room and at one end of the table, an elderly woman sat on the cushion._

_"Yeah" you slowly went to the other end to sit. She had long hair pulled back with small ornaments and blue flowers adorning her hair. Her eyes were closed and her face showed her age. Her lips were turned up into a smile, it felt welcoming. "You always did like the ocean," she said._

_You sat down and continued to stare at her. "It's unlike you to be so quiet, usually you chatter my ear off" she chuckled at you. It sounded light like air, overcoming you with warmth. "You talk like you know me" you finally said. Her face never felt fell, but you could sense hurt in her. "I do, better than anyone else" she confessed._

_This puzzled you since you never met her before...you didn't know her...you never..._

_Your head felt heavy, mind dizzy as thoughts swam around. "Child, don't delve deep into it, it was too long ago so I don't expect you to remember" she reached over and covered your hand with hers. Suddenly, the feeling went away and your head cleared up. "It was a bit of shock to you, I'm sure you wouldn't want to remember" she continued almost in a whisper._

_"Don't you think that's for me to decide?" you shot back. She finally opened her eyes to reveal shining irises. They were clear, like crystal. "In time, you will reclaim your past and inherit the future just as I did" her words felt forced and rehearsed. You figured someone had said that to her as well._

_"Just who are you? what are you to me? why does my heart feel so heavy?!" you cried out. A wave of grief overcame you from the sight of her. Familiarity and pain shot through your body, making you want to cry. "You know who I am, but know we are from a different land" she continued as calmly as she had started. "You and I are born from the crystal, the children of the crystal"_

_Again, the pain disappeared. You slowly met her gaze and felt a tear fall down your cheek. "Grandma" fell from your lips in a whisper. The elder nodded and looked to the window. "It was a tragedy they attacked us, gave us a false narrative, and ostracized our people" you could feel the pain in her voice. She turned to you with one last smile, a sad one this time._

_"But you still remember, you are healthy, what more could my old soul ask for?" she sighed. You wanted to call out to her, but you didn't know her name. You could tell she wanted to hear you say it, but it wouldn't come!_

_"I pray the six guide you, be strong my child" no, no, no! You didn't want to wake just yet! Already, the dream felt like it was falling apart, her image growing hazier._

_"Nana Saga!"_

* * *

 

Lunchtime meant you could breathe.

Your last class was less than exciting. Classes were all the same, just different subjects. Each time you or Noct would doze off, leaving the latter to take notes. You were a better note taker and was most likely to be awake. One of the girls would be staring at Noctis, or casting envying looks to you. Leaving you to wonder how sitting next to the prince was such an honor.

You were smart enough to know what was good at the cafeteria and what was not. Your usual lunch set was in the usual spot on the counter, looking good as always. Just as you reached for it, another hand came around yours. The hunger inside you was stronger than the urge to pull away. You turned to the offender and caught the bluest eyes you ever saw.

"Heh, you like this one too?" said the boy pulling back with your hand. He wore a silly grin that gave him a boyish charm. "Yeah, you can have it" you gave your hand a little tug but he didn't budge. "Oh! no, no, no! You have it" the boy cried out with a sheepish grin. "Are you sure?" the longer he held your hand, the more suspicious you became. 

"Positive! I'll just pick something else..." he trailed off as he rose his dominant hand. It finally hit him that he still was in possession of your hand. "Ah! Uh, I am so sorry!" he wailed releasing you from his hold. You stepped back a bit before ordering your lunch. The boy remained beside you all the way to the desserts part.

"Not gonna get anything?" you asked. He looked annoyed by the treats, flinching away from the table. "Nah, I'm good!" his voice cracked a bit but you shrugged it off. Once you both had your respective lunches, an awkward silence befell you both.

"So, see you around?" he said with a nervous chuckle. "You never did tell me your name you know," you noticed him swallow and avoid your eyes a bit. "Uh, your totally right..." he sounded dejected but perked up as you waited for him to respond. "The name is Prompto, and you?" his voice cracked again. "[Name], see you around" you gave him a small wave before walking away.

"Yeah! see you around!" he called after you.

He really did hope to see you again.

But he didn't think it would be this soon.

"[Name]?!"

"Ah, pronto"

"It's Prompto!"

"I'm here too you know" Noctis said in an annoyed tone.

The three of you took solace in a shaded area aways from the courtyard. You considered it a safe heaven. It was amusing to find out Noctis also frequented there during breaks. Prompto seemed restless as you sat across from the two.

"I didn't think you two were like that" he confessed with a pout. "Like what?" Noctis gave him a curious look, causing you to raise a brow. "Nothing like that! Just, god! I'm putting my foot in my mouth!" Prompto let out a frustrated sigh. You couldn't help but smile at him, covering your mouth with the back of your hand to prevent you from spewing food.

"We're just friends, like us," Noctis said, but you heard the hesitation in his voice. "Good to know" Prompto sang flashing a grin. It was nice to know he bounced back so quickly. But it grew a bit uncomfortable as he kept sending you fleeting glances. "I'm thirsty, gonna go get a soda" Noctis announced.

You watched him saunter off, leaving you alone with Prompto. Said blonde was watching as well. He gave you a shy smile before looking back down at his lunch. Which was all gone. You still had your dessert, a tart. "Did you want some?" you asked holding your treat out to him. "Uh," he debated in his mind whether or not to take a bite. "Sorry I took a bite already, swear I'm not sick" you pleaded still holding it out.

His eyes flickered to your lips, then to the treat. "Alright!" he took a bite off the end you previously bit. His cheeks flushed red and a smile spread across his face. "Delicious!" he was like a little kid eating candy. "You can have the rest..." you trailed off feeling bad about wanting the rest.

"No, that's alright I don't wanna," Prompto said in a dejected tone. "You seemed like you wanted it" you pressed him. He fidgeted in his spot and looked at his shoes. "I don't need the extra weight," he said quietly. You frowned and set the tart down. You reached over and pinched his cheeks. "What weight? I think you'd look cute with some chub" you added quietly.

Prompto looked up and stared into your eyes, you held his gaze before pulling away. "You shouldn't worry about your weight, there isn't anything to not like about you" Prompto's eyebrows furrowed at your words. "It's just, I don't want to be looked at differently" he confessed. You gave him a solemn stare.

"Imagine if people looked at you like you were some kind of monster" you began. "Just because you looked different or came from a different place, you were a threat and treated like one" Prompto's mouth opened but closed just as quickly. "Soon enough everyone, even your friends abandoned you, even Noct..." you trailed off.

Propmto quickly grabbed your hands and gave you a reassuring smile. "No way! he'd...we'd never abandon anyone!" his eyes shined with resolve as he spoke. "The thought terrifies me" you confessed. Prompto thought for a moment before giving you a reassuring squeeze. "If you ever think you're alone, just remember I'm always on your side," he said with a light laugh.

Before you could say anything, footsteps hit your ears. Noctis came around the corner carrying his soda, a surprised at you both. "Am I interrupting something?" he stood awkwardly to the side. "Ehehehe nah man!" Prompto let go of you and scooted away. "Come on and sit" you motioned for him to sit down next to you.

Noctis wasn't sure why he felt bothered by how quickly you and Prompto became friends. He was glad you both hit if off, but something ate at him in the back of his mind. Just what happened while he was gone?


	3. Training to be a Hero

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You were to be a Kingsglaivemen, but what did that mean to you?

**"Youth is the time for the adventures of the body, but age for the triumphs of the mind."--(Logan Pearsall Smith)**

It was rare to see you without Noctis and Prompto. Over time, you three became a tight trio of smiles and laughter. School days passed by smoothly with the two as your friends. Noctis would seek you or Prompto out, but play it off like he wasn't. Prompto always expressed joy in seeing either of you. In a matter of minutes, the last of your group would be hunted down and you'd talk about the day. However, after school, the dream was over.

Noctis had his duties, studying and training, so he would leave as you walked home. Prompto expressed his interest in walking you home, but you told him you had training to do. "Training? What are you training for?" he asked both excited and concerned. "I'll tell you and Noct later" you reassured him. The time you would tell them would come long after you graduated.

The walk was always long, even from the media center of the city where the boys had parted from you. The path you took was a straight shot, to the slums. Fumes from the machines hung like clouds in the area. Lights hung around streets and shops, being the only source of illumination. People passed by quickly, most likely preparing for the end of the day. Like them, you make your way to a familiar apartment. Opening the door, you jumped back as the build of a taller man stood in the doorway.

"There you are [Name], I was lookin' for you," the man said in an amused tone. He was dressed in a simple athletic shirt and jeans, a reminder for your "training". "Where else would I be Nyx?" you sighed pushing past him. You shrugged your bag off and dropped it on the table. "Hey, don't sass me" Nyx shot back in an annoyed tone. "You're in my care, I have to keep a close eye on you" he continued. You couldn't help but smile hearing him complain. At first, you thought you were a bother to him. After a while, you realized his complaints were to cover up his care. "C'mon! get changed, after training Crowe and Libertus want to pick on you some" Nyx yelled as you went to your room. "'Kay!" you called back before shutting the door.

Your room wasn't much to look at. It was small, but enough space for you to have furniture. There were pictures on your desk, mostly of the rest of the glaive. Some were pictures of nature that had caught your eye. These simple pictures always picked up your day. As you changed into athletic clothing, you reflected.

You were training to be a Kingsglaivemen, under one of the most heroic Kingsglaivemen, who also acted as your guardian. To you, Nyx was a cool-headed hero you were happy to have as a mentor. But, he could also be a pain in the ass. Nyx took his role as guardian as serious as being a Kingsglaivemen. He never failed to nag you about something or spout wise words of knowledge. Even so, you and he had tender moments where he would joke around and relax.

"Alright, I'm ready" you announced walking back out to the living room. Nyx was checking his watch and looked up at you. "Good, let's jog there and then we'll do stretches" his smile didn't make you feel happy about it.

* * *

 

Your lungs felt like they were on fire. Your legs burned and your head was dizzy from lack of oxygen. You crouched over and gasped for air, sweat covered your face and your skin felt hot. "That was better than last time, drink up" Nyx praised you as he handed you a bottle of water. You didn't respond but gulped down the water. Once it was empty, you tossed it away. Nyx began stretching and gave you a look.

With an exhausted sigh, you began stretching as well. Even though you trained with the Glaive, you didn't participate in missions. Only physical training and a bit of combat training. You knew well that you weren't qualified for the field, but a little more faith wouldn't have hurt.

"Alright, I want you to come at me" Nyx switched into a defensive position. You focused on his movements, where is muscles tensed and where they relaxed. You launched yourself to attack him, only to feel pressure in your lower abdomen and be lifted from your feet. You back collided with the ground behind Nyx as he successfully flipped you.

"Damn..." you sighed rolling over on your side. "Try again, this time don't be so obvious with your movements" Nyx went back into position again. You pushed yourself up and shook off the tension in your body. This time you circled him and charged at him. You stepped back when he reached for you and elbowed his back. Nyx let out a grunt and stumbled forward. You put distance between you and him and smiled.

"Okay, better" Nyx cocked a brow at you and shook himself. "Let's run the obstacle course a few times then we'll get something to eat," he said pointing to the archway leading to the open space. The area held structures for climbing, jumping, swinging, and dodging. You were familiar with the course but that didn't make it any easier. You took a deep breath before charging away at the course. Your hands burned as you climbed ropes and wooden structures. Your legs became sore from booking it, all you wanted was to rest.

Once you finally stumbled to the end, Nyx caught you and hauled you onto his back. "Don't go dead on me yet" he laughed fixing you onto his back. You didn't say anything but relished in not having to move anymore. Your head rested against his back and your arms clutched his shirt. "I'm...so....tired..." you grumbled against his neck. "Yeah I know, but your showing progress and I am proud of you" Nyx's words made you smile weakly.

* * *

 

"You could be a little easier on the kid" Crowe's voice echoed into your head. "The Imperials won't go easy on anyone, especially kids" Libertus argued back. "Okay, but there isn't any rush for [Name] to be a glaive" Crowe's voice was lower this time, causing worry to rise in you. With a groan, you shifted in your seat and opened your eyes slowly. Crowe and Libertus turned to you and shared grins. "Back to the world of the living eh?" Libertus chuckled patting your shoulder vigorously. You bounced in your chair with each push.

"Knock it off!" Crowe shouted shoving Libertus away. She cupped your face and gave you a sincere smile. "You feeling alright? dizzy? nauseous?" she pressed her forehead to yours briefly. "I'm fine" you looked away in embarrassment. You were the youngest and they always treated you as such. "See? conscious again and not sick so get off my ass" Nyx said, catching your attention. "Bet you're hungry, but all we get is crap" Libertus complaints didn't go unheard as an angry shout came from the cook.

"Food is food so don't complain" Crowe shot back grabbing you a plate and a cup. "Here, eat up and rest okay?" she placed the contents in front of you before helping herself. "She's right, it's better than starving" Nyx agreed as he began eating.

Even if the slums were run down, dark, noisy, and packed with people. You couldn't help but find a sense of security here. This was your home and you couldn't ask for much more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nyx is your official guardian and the Glaive are like your family.


	4. Thanks a choco-bunch!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A nice deed goes a long way.

**"No one is useless in this world who lightens the burden of it to anyone else."--(Charles Dickens)**

_Cold, was the first thing you felt. Upon waking, you realized it wasn't just the air that was cold. The ground beneath you was wet from the rain that fell upon it. Your back was damp from lying in a puddle, but you thought little of it. Even the air felt wet, getting dry was pointless. First, you needed to find out where you were._

_You rose to your feet and began walking along the stone walkway. The area around you flourished with life, greens and browns of nature filling your view. The sky was dark with clouds, yielding little to no sunlight for you. As you walked, you noticed that the walkway led to a large castle-like structure. The building looked old but taken care of. Despite this, it was empty. Not a soul was in sight but the furnishings looked almost new. It wasn't until you heard a sniffle did you realize you weren't alone._

_Following the muffled sound, you ducked into a room to find a girl with her head down. She looked a little older than you, but the way she wept made her more relatable. Her long blonde hair curtained her shoulders, making it clear she was also wet from the rain. As you drew closer, she looked up and gasped. "Who are you?" her voice trembled slightly as if unsure whether to be brave or frightened. You paused before answering, wondering if anyone else was really here._

_"I'm just passing through, this is a dream after all" you admitted in a bashful way. Now that you thought about it, was she really part of your dream? "A dream? that would make sense" she continued as she wiped the tears from her face. The way she spoke made you think of a princess. "I-I suppose you are just a manifestation of my dreams" her voice faltered again, this time in disappointment. "N-no! I'm real, well, as real as a dream can be" you began to get flustered at the idea of sharing a dream with a complete stranger. You've only heard of these kinds of things happening under intimate situations such as soul-mates. "That means we're sharing dreams? How odd" this earned you a small giggle from her._

_You took this as a sign to approach and walked closer. As you drew near, you could see she her dress was soaked through. "You must be cold, I'll get something" you frantically glanced around the room for a blanket or coat. your eyes locked onto a large pile of cloth and grabbed it quickly, you brought it over to her and draped it around her shoulders. The entire time, she watched you with bright blue eyes. "There, feeling a bit better?" you asked with a small smile. She nodded before holding her arm out for you, drawing the blanket out. "I think it would be best if you joined me though" she gave you a soft smile as she spoke._

_You slid onto the couch beside her and took the end of the blanket and draped it around you. The rain outside grew loud as more came down. "This rain is just dreadful, nothing good comes anymore" you heard her sigh. Before you could speak, thunder boomed and the wind picked up. Rain flew in through the windows and archways of the building, nearly taking your blanket away. You wrapped your arms around her tightly, bring her into an embrace. You ducked her head close to hers, watching her twist her eyes shut. "Why?! Why is it always like this?!" she screamed. You nudged her head with yours before calling out. "If you run from rain, it will only chase you!" she opened her eyes and held your gaze. "Let it pass and the sun will come again" you continued with resolving sound._

_After a few minutes, the wind began to die down. The room you were in was soaked and reeked of rain. You dropped the blanket down and glanced around. A few items lay overturned from the wind, otherwise, the room was the same as you entered. "See, it passed" you sighed in relief. True to your words, sunlight trickled into the room. You took her by the hand and pulled her into a standing position. "C'mon, let's go look" you urged her to the nearest archway, leading out to a small garden. The clouds above parted for the incoming sunlight, allowing a rainbow to penetrate the sky. It was a sight that should've have been common, but somehow it looked more mystical than usual._

_"It's beautiful" you heard her whisper, causing you to nod in agreement. "A good way to end a dream" you spoke up releasing her hand. She turned to you almost in a panic. "Does it really have to end?" she took hold of your hand again, squeezing tightly. "Afraid so, I have school in the morning" you laughed. She covered her mouth with the back of her hand as laughter overcame her. "You are a student? that must be fun" she sounded wistful as she spoke. "I take it you aren't then" the shake of her head confirmed your accusation. "I'm afraid not, I haven't the luxury" she seemed to be avoiding talking about her. "Well, maybe later I can tell you more about it and you can tell me more about you" she perked up as you spoke._

_"Later?" she gave you a questioning look. "Yeah later, let's do this again," you said sheepishly. She thought for a moment before nodding with you. "Yes, let's do this again, I very much enjoyed your company" she gave you a bright smile. You saw her swallow hard before speaking. "I must know your name, though, I want to be a bit selfish" she demanded. "My name is [Name], what about you?" she seemed a bit shocked at your question but relaxed. "Can you call me Luna?" she asked. "Luna rolls right off the tongue!" you laughed. "Yes, it does!" she laughed along with you._

* * *

 

When it came to Noctis, you knew little about him. Sure he was a prince, but there was more to him than that. He was a sleepy head, but he was smart. He didn't eat healthily, but neither did you or Prompto. Did he have any habits? Other than dozing off. Your mind was wracked with this until you decided to take action. This time as your trio left school, you joined in on Noctis's skipping his duties. "You're gonna come to the arcade too? sweet!" Prompto expressed delight in you joining in while Noctis hid a small smile. "I'm only in it for the games" you shot back earning a laugh from both boys.

As you entered the arcade, you took note of how large it was. Insomnia was a big city, but this arcade was so large it baffled you. "So what do you play here?" you asked with slight interest. "Mostly shooting games," Noctis said finding his favorite right away. "The crane games are rigged I swear!" Prompto groaned. You watched Noctis hand Prompto his bag and start up the game. You had to admit he was pretty skilled at this game, he looked like he was showing off a bit, though. You began to grow tired of watching and wandered off near the crane games. Inside were rows and piles of various plush figures. The bright forms of yellow Chocobos caught your eye.

"You like Chocobos too?" Prompto piped up as he zeroed in on the crane game as well. "Yeah, it's really cute" your eye lit up as you reached for the stick. "Careful, it's super difficult and takes lo-" "got it" Prompto's voice caught in his throat as he watched you win the plush. "And there it is" he frowned as you pulled your Chocobo free from the box. "I must be a pro then" you smiled snuggling the plush. "Yeah" he agreed in a melancholy way. You stared at him for a bit before holding your plush out to him. "Do you want me to win you one?" you saw him debate with himself before answering. "N-no, if anything I should have won one for you" Prompto shifted his stance nervously. "Then let me give you this" you placed the Chocobo plush on top of Noctis's bag. "R-really?!" his cheeks flushed red as you nodded. A moment was shared between you both, Prompto blushing and you smiling.

"So this is where you both went" Noctis annoyed voice caught both of your attention. "Ehehehe..." Prompto laughed nervously and avoided Noctis's gaze. "Sorry, I got bored of watching you win so much" you laughed as Noctis pouted. "If you wanted a Chocobo so badly, you could've just asked me to win you one" he sighed walking up to the machine. Both you and Prompto exchanged looks before staying quiet about the previous plush you won. Noctis expertly maneuvered the crane and plucked up another Chocobo. Noctis shoved it into your arms and looked off to the side. "Well? take it already" he muttered under his breath. You clutched the plush and held it tightly. "Thank you Noct" you smiled. A faint blush crossed his cheeks as he coughed out a "yeah".

The three of you walked the same way to where your paths broke off. Prompto left first, holding up the plush you gave him. "See you later!" he yelled happily waving the Chocobo about. Just as before you could leave, sirens went off in the area around you. "That's the hurricane warning system," Noctis said quietly. He glanced at you before taking your hand. "C'mon" he urged you to follow him as he broke into a sprint. He stopped in front of an expensive apartment, glancing at the guard in front. Noctis pulled you into the elevator, swiping a card to make it ascend. He was quiet the whole ride up, making you nervous. When he finally stopped at a door, you decided to speak. "Is this where you live?" you asked. He opened the door and stared at you. "Yeah, home away from home" he smiled.

You entered the apartment and took your shoes off. It was well furnished and clean. "Ignis must be here" Noctis groaned kicking his shoes off. A pair of expensive looking shoes were already in place, most likely Ignis's shoes. You followed Noctis into the living area and saw a man seated at the table. He turned to you both and rested his gaze upon you. "You don't usually bring guests," he said. Noctis grimaced and went to the couch. "Since when did it matter?" he grumbled. Silence passed and you shifted awkwardly in place. "A host shouldn't leave his guest waiting" Ignis stood up and walked over to you. "My name is Ignis, would you like a refreshment?" he asked. "Yes, please," you said from behind your Chocobo. Something about him made you a bit flustered like you were being treated like royalty.

"You can sit over here" Noctis patted the spot beside him on the couch. You walked over and took a seat next to him. "Is Ignis your butler or something?" you asked. "Not a chance, more like my nanny," Noctis said dryly. "He seems nice" you smiled as Ignis came over to you both with drinks. He pushed up his glasses and stared at Noctis. "I hope you don't expect to keep your guest overnight," Ignis said with a crossed look. "It's not like there isn't a giant hurricane outside" Noctis argued. A moment of silence passed before Ignis sighed and turned away. "Fine, I'll prepare enough for three," Ignis said as he walked away. "Do think about sleeping arrangements, Noct" he added quickly.

"Yeah, yeah" Noctis groaned. You cocked a brow and stared at Noctis. "What?" he shot back. "What were you thinking about bringing me here?" you asked. Noctis faltered for a moment before giving you an annoyed look. "I was thinking my place was closer, I didn't want you getting caught in the storm is all" he scratched the back of his neck nervously. "Is that right?" you pressed him with a small grin. "Geez! lay off already!" Noctis yelled out in a flustered mess.

Even though you didn't know everything when it came to Noctis, you knew one thing for sure. He cares about you, he really does.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you were wondering, your dream was in Tenebrae.


	5. The shield and the advisor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More Ignis and Gladiolus interaction.

**Let us be of good cheer, remembering that the misfortunes hardest to bear are those which never come.--(Amy Lowell)**

_This wasn't a dream you wanted to have. You felt immense dread as you stared down the corridor. Alarms went off in your head not to go down the path, but you knew there was no avoiding it. With a heavy heart, you pressed on into an open room. It was spacious enough to fit a crowd of people in it, leaving you to wonder what will come next. The room lit up with the same bright scriptures as your previous dream, making you suspect this place was connected to the ruins._

_The sound of rock sliding against one another caught your attention. You turned your gaze to the opposite side of the chamber. What you assumed to be a door, rose to a reveal a large silhouette. The shadow trudged into the light and revealed itself as a large armored being. The armor looked worn but sturdy, weighing down the giant. The helmet had slits that yielded two glowing eyes. The light coming from the irises felt familiar, it gave you a terrible feeling._

_The giant let out a roar before charging at you. What it lacked in speed, it made up with strength as it hurled a large blade at you. Quickly, you rolled to avoid certain death. Your mind screamed at you to take action but you desperately wanted to flee. In you heart, you didn't want to fight._

_Glancing around the room, you came to a realization that there was no exit. The door that had previously opened was sealed shut, never to open again. You could hear the stomps as the giant pursued you around the room, never showing fatigue. After you narrowly escaped another strike, you made the decision to fight back. A bright light surrounded you as a weapon manifested into your hand. A large scythe materialized to your aid, menacingly bearing engravings and a sharpness that could stop hearts._

_The giant rushed you once again, this time you were prepared and challenged him without hesitation. The blade carved around the armor, aiming for the limbs in an attempt to disable the being. The grating sound of metal clashing with metal stung your ears. Blood seeped from the giant as it moaned in pain with each attack. You found yourself gritting your teeth with each movement. As much as it pained you, it had to be done. It wasn't until the giant collapsed to its knees did you halt in your attacks._

_You approached the being carefully, reaching for the helmet. To your surprise, it slipped off with ease. Short white locks dirtied with sweat and blood clung to a square-faced man. Markings littered his face, similar to the ones in the room. His eyes were clear and dull but reflected a shine like crystal._

_"Traitor..." he gasped before collapsing from exhaustion._

_You bowed your head and cradled his head in your lap._

_"But I don't even know you"_

* * *

 

You had to admit, Noctis had the softest couch you ever sat on. It made a suitable bed as he and Ignis shared his own. You only smiled warmingly when Ignis had suggested sharing a bed with Noctis, making the latter groan. It was nice to see him so close to another person.

The smell of something cooking caught your nose and made you rise out of curiosity. Across the room, Ignis was already at work on what had to be breakfast. You quietly moved from the couch and went to the table. "Do you need help?" you asked in a slightly hoarse voice. "Need it? not quite, but you are free to help me by washing those dishes there" he pointed to the sink and gave you a side glance. You saw a playful grin form on his face before slipping into a concentrated one.

It finally occurred to you that your hair was probably disheveled. You frantically combed it down with your fingers and patted your cheeks that were now burning red. "O-okay" you shuffled over nervously to the sink and began washing the utensils Ignis had previously used. Occasionally, you caught yourself staring at him from the corner of your eye. It was then you noticed he was significantly taller than you, broad but slender, making careful movements like an artist at work.

The lack of splashing water must have worried him enough to meet your eyes as he looked over his shoulder. "Is everything alright?" he asked. You blinked before nodding quickly and returning to the sink. He had an accent, a very charming one to say. It was like he was a character from a fairytale, prince-like. You began to imagine what Noctis would be like if he acted similarly and found yourself snickering.

"Can you go wake Noct? I'll be plating this soon" Ignis turned around to face you as he spoke. You gave him a smile before drying your hands. "I'll do my best" you walked off with a determined look. Waking the sleeping prince at school was easy, how difficult could it be at his home?

Surprisingly, very difficult.

Noctis was under one of the heaviest blankets and snuggled tightly in it. You had to fondle the large lump of his body until you felt his stomach. "Hey, Noct get up," you said softly rubbing his sides. He groaned and rolled away from you, escaping into the sea of blanket again. You huffed before climbing into his bed. You slipped under his blankets and found his face. Your hands cupped his cheeks as you brought him close enough to see him directly. His sleeping face was always so peaceful, making him look handsome. You couldn't help but smile when looking at him.

"Six, forgive me" you whispered before tugging his cheeks sharply. A yowl of pain erupted from him before he shot back and fell over the edge of the bed. You stifle your laughter into his sheets as he collected himself and glared at you. "Oh, you think that was funny?" he growled before leaping onto the bed and trapping you against the mattress. "Let's see how you like it" he smirked before pinching at your sides. You let out a shriek as you writhed under his touch. Tears pricked your eyes as you howled and begged him to stop. Noctis found himself laughing alongside your uproar, your hands playfully nipping at him as well.

It wasn't until you were gasping for air did he stop. Noctis was breathing heavily from exhaustion, dropping his head slightly closer to yours. It was then he noticed your flushed cheeks, ends of your mouth upturned into a happy smile, hair a mess, and eyes shining with joy. He gulped and froze above you, his heart rate accelerating. When you finally met his doe-like expression, worry overcame you. "What's wrong?" you asked, drawing attention to your lips again. Noctis seemed to be lost in thought before he spoke. "This wasn't a bad way to wake up" he confessed with a playful grin. Your heart rate went up as he continued to stare at you. Something in his eyes was giving you signals: _get up, move, lean closer....._

_kiss him_

Needless to say, you couldn't find yourself to do anything. As if to answer for you, Ignis slipped into the doorway with a crossed look. "If you two are quite finished, your breakfast is getting cold" he chided pushing his glasses up in frustration. Noctis sent him a pout before climbing off you. "Let's go before he gets angry" he sighed fixing his shirt. You slowly sat up and waited for him to go ahead before getting out of his bed. Your heart finally calmed itself as Noctis left your line of vision. Just what was happening to you?

* * *

 

Ignis had insisted on taking you home after breakfast. You couldn't really say no, it felt almost rude to decline anything from him. That is how you found yourself sitting in the passenger seat of his car. "So, you are a classmate of Noct?" Ignis sudden question had you whipping your head into his direction. "We're friends, I'm also a friend of Prompto's" you declared. Ignis seemed a bit impressed by your response. "Is that so? I'm glad to hear that" he continued. "Does Prompto not have a lot of friends?" you asked. "Both of them only have each other really, well, now you" he added the last part with a small grin.

When he reached the outer part of the slums, you had him stop. "I'll walk the rest, it gets pretty nasty with morning traffic and I wouldn't want you to get stuck" you half-lied. Ignis contemplated for a moment before parking the car. "By chance, are you a member of the glaive?" he inquired. You swallowed before nodding shyly. "But I'm just training, I don't get to go on missions" you confessed. "I've seen you before, training with them near the citadel" he commented as he turned back to the road ahead. "I'm a real piece of work huh?" you laughed nervously, fiddling with your seat belt. "Your effort is admirable, don't sell yourself short" Ignis's voice resounded with admiration that made you smile.

"I'll try to remember that, thanks for the ride" you stepped out of the car and gave him a final wave before heading in the direction of your apartment. It was still morning so the streets were barren except for the morning shift employees. You quietly slipped into the apartment, hoping to sneak into bed before getting lectured.

"Bout time you came home"

You groaned as you turned around to find Nyx sitting on the couch tumbling a fira spell in his hands. "Why don't you teach me that?" you demanded walking up to him. "Can't, you aren't sworn to the king" he articulated the last part by flicking embers at you. Swatting away the little flames, you frowned at him. "So why are you up so early?" you asked. A smile slowly made its way onto his face. It was one of his charming smiles when he was really going to enjoy himself.

Which meant you weren't going to enjoy anything.

"Time to train, but this time with a group" Nyx smirked rising from the couch. You trudged yourself to your room knowing what was coming next. "Get washed and changed, they are waiting" Nyx called from behind you.

"They?"

* * *

 

You thought about running off with the excuse of having to pee. The minute you saw Gladiolus, all ideas went out the window. "Well, well, we meet again" he grinned patting your shoulder roughly. "Please let me be able to at least walk to my bed after this" you groaned. "I promise you nothing" he replied with a devilish smirk. You were aware of Gladiolus' rigorous training regimen. Squats, sit-ups, push-ups, pull-ups, and the whole makings of an exercise montage. No matter how sensual it was to have him holding you down and encouraging he sounded, you still felt like shit afterward. Nyx joined in for 'support', but it quickly turned into a test of strength amongst the two older males.

At this point, you sat to the side gulping down a water bottle provided prior to the training. Your body screamed at you to shut down and rest, but it was entertaining to watch them go at it. Once they both decided to take a break, Gladiolus decided to take a seat next to you. "Not bad, but your stamina could use some work" he criticized with a serious look. You pressed your lips together and looked down. "I'd be happy to help anytime if you want to" he used that playful tone that sent you to glaring at him again. "Nyx wears me out enough as is, I think I'd die if I trained anymore" you sighed.

Gladiolus cocked a brow and shot you a cheeky grin. "Who said I was talking about training?" he chuckled. Your face burned red as you stared at him. "Six! you big perv!" you howled hit his chest in a playful manner. Although, even at half-strength you could only do that much to him. "You make it to easy, don't get so mad at me" he bellowed catching your hands.

You came to enjoy training with Gladiolus, even if he teased you to no end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The giant you fought is someone who will appear later.


	6. Happy Valentines Day [Before the Fall]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Late Valentines Day gift.

**"Tis sweet to feel by what fine-spun threads our affections are drawn together."--(Laurence Sterne)**

_You clearly weren't in Insomnia anymore. The area was a spacious village, spots of hills here and there. Stone structures that were homes or shops littered the area. The occasional fountain and stream, decorating the place. As you took a few steps, you began to notice the people. They wore clothes that you weren't familiar with. Clothes of various colors and prints._

_You let your feet take you around the village, taking note of your surroundings. Most of the people waved and greeted you with smiles. Children ran by and at that point you realized, you were a child. You didn't tower over the five-year-olds, rather you looked just over their heads. Their toothy grins and playful laughter felt familiar and welcoming._

_The children began to gather in a lower area of the village. A large shallow pool, about the size of a small lake, was the source of their interest. You approached the pool with a melancholy feeling. Your mouth went dry as you approached. You knew there was nothing for you here but you came anyway._

_The children walked into the pool and stared down at it, giggling and amazed. "Look! I can see mama and papa!" some girl squealed. "I see some guy" one boy sighed with a dreamy look. "I can see a bunch of people!" others exclaimed in joy. A sense of dread came over you as you avoided contact with the water._

_"Mama says you can see your soulmate," an older girl said proudly. "My soulmate looked cool," said the previous boy. "Cheif said you can even see your future family" a younger boy spoke as if repeated numerous times. Suddenly their attention was on you as if expecting something to you. "Why don't you go into the spring?" the older girl asked. "I wanna see! I wanna see!" the young boy cheered, causing the others to join in. "Why are you all so interested?" you felt pressure on your back despite them all being in front of you. "Who wouldn't want to see the Cheif's grandkid see their soulmate?" the girl reassured you._

_You sighed before walking past them. Despite being shallow, the pool was glassy and emitted a teal glow. Nothing appeared on the surface nor shown through. It was if you were standing on a giant glass window. The water rippled with each step until you stopped. As the water settled, the children followed behind just enough to see. "Well? anything?" the girl piped up sounding anxious. Suddenly your throat felt like lead. All you wanted to do was leave._

_"No, I don't see anything"_

* * *

 

It was no surprise you had forgotten about Valentines Day. Between training with Nyx and studies, you hardly kept track of anything other than birthdays. When you came to school, girls were giddy with talk of love confessions. It was no surprise for the desk next to you to be littered with cards. Noctis was absent from his desk, most likely to avoid the awkward approach of girls. Adjacent to your desk was a pouting Prompto.

"Once again, Noct is drowning in letters" he groaned. You cocked a brow before reaching into your desk. You pulled out your school bag and walked over to Prompto. "You didn't get anything?" you asked with a curious look. "I get maybe two, but it's usually new students who don't even know me," he said with a sigh. You hummed before taking a seat on top of his desk. "So, what if you got one from someone you knew?" Prompto's eyes lit up at this question. "I'd seriously love them forever, like totally!" Prompto exclaimed. You giggled from his enthusiasm and reached into your bag.

"Well, I guess you love me now huh?" you handed him a small card with a smirk. Prompto's mouth went agape and his eyes were like saucers. "Wha-, is that for me?" he asked. You nodded and he took the card carefully from your hands. He read the card with intense focus before meeting your eyes. A light blush graced his cheeks just behind his freckles. "Oh my god, you're the best!" Prompto rose from his seat and hugged you. As he pulled away, he paused when your faces were mere centimeters apart. His eyes glanced down to your lips, then back to your eyes. "Ah, hehehe..." he laughed nervously as he pulled away from you.

Noctis decided to enter the classroom with a plastic bag in hand. "Hey...what's wrong with you?" Noctis asked as he approached Prompto. "N-nothing, dude your desk is a card shop" Prompto switched the topic quickly, giving you a grin. "He's right, I can't even see it anymore" you added with a nod. "I can't do anything about it" Noctis cringed at the sight of the pile of cards. He swept them into a pile and into the plastic bag. "It's troublesome if anything" he mumbled under his breath.

You jumped off of Prompto's desk and took a seat at yours. "I guess you don't want this then," you said sliding Noctis a card. He gave you a startled look before taking the card and reading it. "Now this is worth reading," Noctis said with a smirk. You could hear Prompto whine something like "the troubles of being a prince".

* * *

 

As your trio made the regular walk home, you came across something different. Ignis had pulled up in a sleek black car. "Noct, you are needed at the Citadel today..." he trailed off as he met eyes with you and Prompto. He gave you both a curt greeting before parking the car. As Ignis began coaxing Noctis into the backseat, you fished out another card. "Um, Ignis?" you felt your voice fail you as he turned his full attention to you. "Yes, is something the matter?" Ignis asked. You swallowed before handing him the card. "It's for you, ah..." you ran out of things to say and felt yourself backing away once the card was in his hands. Ignis took a moment to examine the card, flipping it over in his hands. "Thank you, I'm grateful for receiving such a thoughtful sentiment" your heart began to race as he spoke. "Smooth Iggy" Prompto rolled his eyes. He linked arms with you and began walking again. "Later!" he shouted, ignoring Noctics shouting about "saying goodbye".

You both didn't make it far before Gladiolus appeared. He cocked a brow when Prompto shuffled away with a pout. "You two on a date or something?" he asked. "No" Prompto's voice sounded wounded as he answered. "Just going home actually" you clarified. You reached into your bag and pulled out another card. "This is for you, nothing sexy in it either" you added the last bit clicking your tongue. "And there goes my hopes and dreams" Gladioulus responded with sarcasm. "Hey, be glad you got one okay?" Prompto butted in with an annoyed tone. "You think I don't get Valentines?" Galdiolus challenged with a smirk. Prompto opened his mouth and shut it quickly. He shuffled behind you and muttered curses under his breath.

"Anyways, get home before it gets dark" Gladiolus waved you both goodbye before leaving. You both waved back before going your separate ways. You reached into your bag and took out your last card. This one had more work put into it than the rest. "I got this," you said to yourself before slipping into a light jog home.

When you opened the door to the apartment, Nyx hadn't been inside. You took this as the gods granting you a chance. You dashed to his room and went to his desk. There wasn't much there so it would be impossible for him to miss your card. As you placed the card on his desk, the sound of a door shutting reached your ears. You made a break for the door, only to run into a built chest. "____? why are you in my room?" Nyx pushed past you and surveyed the room. His eyes found your card and he quickly made his way over to retrieve it.

A brief silence passed through the room before he coughed. "Well, I guess I shouldn't feel so flustered now" he sighed in relief. Before you could press him for details, a plush was forced into your line of vision. It was a moogle that wore a cute blush, the antennae connected to a heart and a heart on its belly. You gaped at it, words failing to come to your mind.

"Well? don't just stare, take it" Nyx forced the plush into your hands and looked away. You cuddled the toy close to your chest before giving him a bright smile. "Thank you! I love it" you saw a smile creep onto his face. "It's nothing really when I saw it I thought of you" Nyx walked closer to you and cupped the side of your face.

"Happy Valentines day"


	7. Blondes have more fun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another Luna dream and Prompto gets some love.

**"Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but looking outward together in the same direction"---(Antoine de Saint-Exupéry)**

_Blue skies filled your line of sight as you came to. There wasn't a cloud in the sky as you looked around. Once again, you were somewhere near the ocean. You were thankfully on a deck, avoiding the sand. You tugged at your shorts and marveled in your dream wardrobe. Who knew dreams could be so fashionable?_

_"Hello again" you jumped at the sound of another voice. You turned around bashfully and met clear blue eyes. "Oh, Luna" your lips turned upward into a smile as you took her in. She wore a white dress, but this one was lighter and flowed with the breeze. "You must really like white," you said playfully. She smiled at the ground before giving you a shy smile. "It's a bit of a habit" she laughed._

_You both followed the sand toward the ocean. Walking close enough for your hands to occasionally bump into one another. "So, tell me about school" she began. You cocked your head and gave her a painful grimace. "Boring, it's like being stuck in a room with a talking book but less magical" a small laugh left her lips at your explanation. "There must be something you like?" she pressed you for details with a hopeful look. "Well, my friends make it fun" you slowed to a stop as you thought about it._

_"What are your friends like?" she asked, her eyes seemed to dance in anticipation. "Well, one is kinda like a cat" you began to think of Noctis. "He sleeps a lot, always wears a frown, has a mess of hair, doesn't really eat healthily and has an ego" you felt a smile come to your face as you spoke. "Gods, surely he isn't bad?" Luna seemed astonished by your description. "No, he's got a few redeeming qualities, other than being handsome" you stuck your tongue out at the last part. "He has a good heart, is respectful for the most part, a good head on his shoulders and loves his dad" you continued. "He sounds...wonderful" Luna seemed to hesitate with her answer. "The other one is sillier, I mean he is the class clown but not enough to get you mad" when you thought of Prompto you couldn't stop smiling. "A class clown? like a jester?" Luna furrowed her brows in thought. "Hmmm, kinda but he needs to wise up if he wants to survive the real world" you faked an authoritative tone as you spoke._

_"Your friends sound like quite the characters" Luna spoke in a longing tone. "Do you have any friends?" you asked. She bit her lip before answering with a curt nod. "One really, but we never get to see each other, we only write" she sounded sad as she mentioned the last part. "Oh, uh...well now you have two" your hands shook as you took her hands into yours. "Um, is he nice?" you felt a lump grow in your throat at the thought of overstepping boundaries. "Yes, a bit thick in the head but nice" she admitted dryly. You couldn't help but laugh._

_"What is it?" she cocked her head in confusion. "I didn't think you could say something like that" you admitted as you caught your breath. "I don't usually speak like that, but I feel at ease here" Luna's cheeks went red and she brushed ahead of you. "Aw come on, you're like a princess cussing for the first time" you teased catching up with her. "Well, you aren't wrong" she mused with a playful grin. "Well, your highness, let's go see what lies ahead" you bowed to her mockingly and took her by the hand._

_As you drew closer to the shore, a large structure lay in the sand. "What is that?" you asked, approaching the structure carefully. "It appears to be a skull of a large creature, a dragon?" Luna examined it carefully before placing her hand on it. "What kind of-, you know never mind" you cut yourself off as you walked around to the mouth of it. Your body was the size of one of the remaining teeth in the skull. "Whatever this thing was, I think we are lucky to find it dead" you shivered at the thought of some dragon bursting from the ocean as you spoke. "Perhaps, it could be a premonition" Luna seemed to be deep in thought as she spoke._

_You took this time to look around in the sand. A glint of light caught your eye and you squatted down to retrieve a shell. It had a light blue blush that contrasted the navy base of it. A bit of white frosted the top of it, making it look almost like a decoration. You snuck back over to Luna and pressed it to her hands. "Anyone home? look what I found" she snapped her head in your direction as you spoke. Her expression softened as she looked at the shell. "It's beautiful" she took it carefully as if it would break. "I think it'd suit you" her cheeks reddened at your words._

_The sudden orange glow from behind you reminded you of passing time. "Look, the sun is setting" you frowned as your dream was coming to a close. "Let's watch it together" Luna pulled you down in front of the skull. You both sat in the warm sand and watched the waves gently roll onto shore._

_"I hope you get to see your friend again soon" you felt her lean into your shoulder as you spoke. "I wish to also see you again when I'm awake of course" you both ended up smiling and giggling as you sat in peace._

* * *

 

Graduation was something you had wished for at the beginning, but now it felt like the end of a cliff. You were sure your path with Noctis and Prompto would end after high school. Apparently, they did not.

"What? come on! no way!" Prompto exclaimed. "I mean I'll be busy, but you can just come over whenever" Noctis said casually. Prompto seemed to have heard and put an arm around Noctis. "Wait, wait, wait, you just bring ____ over to your place whenever?" Prompto exerted an air of envy as he spoke. "It was once, but you left your Chocobo" Noctis turned back to you without skipping a beat. "Oh yeah, I need to get Soli before we get busy" you gave him a nod, sealing the deal. "I see you two are closer than ever" Prompto gave an exasperated sigh and threw his arms in the air. "If you are gonna be jealous, then just invite ___ over" Noctis gave him a crossed look. "Never even crossed my mind" Prompto sang. You rolled your eyes before standing up.

"Well, I'll come over today then" Prompto's eyes lit up at your declaration. "Today? now? like right now?" he began panicking and fiddling with his bangs. "Is there any other form of now?" Noctis laughed at Prompto's reaction. "It's just a bit sudden is all...." he laughed nervously and avoided your eyes. "Then I guess I'll go home..."

"No!" Prompto jumped from his seat and reached out for you. Both you and Noctis jumped and stared at him in awe. "I mean, today is good" Prompto seemed to calm down and straightened himself. He looped his arm in yours and held a tense stance.

"Shall we?"

* * *

 

  
The way to his home was much different than yours. Prompto lived in the suburban area of Insomnia. "There isn't much, but it's quiet" he admitted with a shy smile. You only smiled back and continued. Occasionally, you passed people on their way home or a jogger out on a run. "It's quiet and nice" you commented. He seemed happy with your answer and continued to lead you to his house. When he opened the door, you took your shoes off and looked around. "Are your parents not home?" you asked. Prompto seemed to tense up at the mention of his parents. "Nah, they are usually gone all the time so I'm used to it" his voice was absent of his usual cheerfulness. "I see" you walked in and took in the small home. It was casual, made of higher quality than yours.

"Uh, would you like something to drink?" Prompto seemed to bounce back as he spoke. "I'm good, can I see your room?" you asked. "Oh, well, I mean that is moving fast but yeah!" you ignored his comment and followed him upstairs to his room. His room was small and barren if not for the many pictures near his desk. "Kind of what I expected," you said under your breath. "Is Noct's place full of pillows?" Prompto joked as he took a seat on the floor. You went to sit next to him but he stopped you. "Take the bed, you're the guest" he shot you a bright smile. "How about we both sit there, I don't bite" you mused pulling him back up. Prompto made weak arguments against you, but his body went along effortlessly.

You both sat there in tense silence before he pulled out his camera. "So, I took some new shots if you'd like to see them" he piped up. You moved closer, brushing arms against him as you leaned over to look at the screen. Prompto hesitantly went through his pictures, half enjoying the contact he was getting. "Wait, is that my card?" you felt a smile rise on your face. "Ah well, I really liked it like I said and..." Prompto trailed off with a bashful smile. "You dork" you gave him a playful shove causing him to fall over. He grabbed your arm and pulled you with him out of reflex. You caught yourself over him, staring down at him. Prompto's eyes were open wide like blue jewels on display, his cheeks burning red underneath his freckles.

"I couldn't help it, I really loved your gift" he admitted. You felt your own cheeks grow red and you released a breath you didn't know you were holding. "I'm glad to hear you say that, really I am" you felt his hand caress the side of your face. "I never really gave you anything back, though, so..." Prompto swallowed hard and his hand shook a bit. "So?" you edged him on with curiosity. "I-I wanna give you something, a late valentine" he was breathing deeply as he spoke, making you worried. "Okay?" you started to move back but his hand ushered you closer.

"Close your eyes"

As soon as your eyelids shut, your mind focused on his hard breathing and warm hand. A few seconds passed before soft lips hesitantly pressed against yours. Neither one of you moved, holding a simple position of the lip lock. When Prompto removed his hand, you pulled back and looked him over. He seemed just as shaken as you, but he was smiling in a matter of minutes. "D-did you like it?" he asked. "I guess even you can be smooth" you giggled pressing your forehead to his. Prompto made a sound of annoyance but laughed none the less. "You wouldn't believe how hard it was for me, I didn't think I could bring myself to" Prompto admitted. "Who'd you practice on?" you said in a knowing tone.

Prompto bashfully pointed at his desk, his Chocobo plush lie ontop with a bandana around its neck. "It reminded me of you, so I thought it'd help" he avoided your eyes as he spoke.

"You are an ultra-dork" your laughter made him relax and smile up at you. Perhaps things would be alright after all.


	8. The chapter where Gladio fingers you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I honestly had no other way of writing a title since this was going to be smut centered anyways. Anyway, here's Wonderwall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, you're gonna get to have fun with all the bro's but Gladio is first. Each smut chapter will start with a pickup line just for shits and giggles.

**Is there a cellphone in your back pocket? Cause that ass is calling me~**

As your graduation date grows closer, so does your duty. Nyx had informed you, with a cat-like grin, that training would be doubled and you'd get small missions as you grew. Of course, you replied with a dry response and much disdain. That was until he said:

"Gladiolus Amacita scheduled a few sessions with you"

Your cheeks went red with this new information. You enjoyed training with Gladiolus, no doubt you guys had fun. However, you never went alone. Nyx always accompanied you or sent Libertus to watch you. But now it would only be you and him. It didn't help he flirted with zero shame and was a walking pinup.

"The glaives been called to the field to hold back the Niffs on the borders, so I'll be gone for a week" Nyx put his hand on your shoulder and gave you a reassuring squeeze. "I'm counting on you to hold down the fort and stay out of trouble," the look in his eyes told you he didn't want to leave. "You can count on me" you gave him a bright smile and a thumbs up. This would be the first time Nyx would be away for more than a day. "I knew I could count on you, I promise I'll be back before graduation" Nyx replied. You punched him affectionately in the arm.

"You mean you and the glaive will be back right?"

Nyx let out a chuckle before running one of his hands through your hair. "Yeah, that's right".

* * *

 

A driver had picked you up from the apartment and brought you to the citadel. You stood awkwardly in the lobby as you waited for Gladiolus to show up. You could feel the stares of servants and officials as they walked by. The room suddenly felt smaller as you sat in silence.

"Yo, ____!" suddenly all your nerves went away.

Gladiolus was taking long strides over to where you were sitting. He wore his casual hoodie and his hair flowed around the back of his neck. You rose from your seat quickly and shortened the distance. "About time, what took so long?" you asked. Gladiolus seemed taken back by your question. "I had a briefing, good to know you're eager to sweat" he gave you a playful smirk before throwing an arm around your shoulders. "You won't be walking straight when I'm done with you," he said in a low tone.

Your mind tugged at whether it was a joke or him alluding to something. Before you could press him for details, Gladiolus gave you a shove into the sparring room. "Alright, grab a weapon and get ready" he nodded his head in the direction of the wall covered in wooden weapons. You grabbed a polearm, it felt comfortable to use. Gladiolus wielded a wooden broadsword and stood across from you. "Ready whenever you are" he challenged you.

You took a sharp breath before circling around him and striking his side. Gladiolus parried your attack and counter with his own. A shockwave overcame your body as you were forced back. You quickly shifted into a defensive position as he stuck again. Another shockwave hit you and you felt your knees shake. "Lookin' shaky there" you heard him taunt you. The broadsword came around again, causing you to dodge this time. True to his words, your feet slipped under you and took you a little further than you had hoped. Your shoulder slammed into the wall and you slid down to your ass. "Ow!" you shrieked in pain and dropped your polearm. "Hey, you alright?!" Gladiolus ran over to you and crouched to your level. He examined your shoulder carefully before sighing in relief.

"Nothing broken, but let's take a break" Gladiolus took a seat next to you and watched you from a side glance. "You haven't been training lately, I can tell" he scolded you lightly. This made you roll your eyes, of course, he knew about you going to Noctis's and Prompto's place. "I wanted to spend more time with my friends for once" you confessed. "From what I heard, friends don't wrestle on the bed" he sneered. "Ignis betrayed me" you pouted. Gladiolus expression softened a bit as he looked at you. "I take it you're smitten with the prince too?" his inquiry had you turning your nose up at him. "Not that it concerns you, but Noct is just a friend" you shot back. Gladiolus raised a brow but said nothing. "What's with that look?" you shimmied away from him anxiously.

"You remind me of my sister, she's got a thing for Noctis and acts like she doesn't" his tone held a sort of longing that made your heart clench. "I take it you don't like that?" you pressed him. "It's not that I don't like it, I'm a brother, I just don't want to give her away yet" Gladiolus confessed with a tired smile. "Noctis already has me, now my sister too?" he sighed.

"So, what if I did like Noctis?" you watched the gears of his mind work before he answered. "I'd be a bit jealous," Gladiolus said plainly. You shot him a confused look. "Of what? Noct is no way a ladies man, he'll probably freeze up if a girl confessed to him" you felt a hole form in the pit of your stomach at the idea of it. "No, I'd be jealous of him for having your affection" Gladiolus confessed. You stared at him, suddenly taking in just how chiseled his chin was and the light hair that graced his face. He was the definition of rugged and had the muscle to boot. There was no doubt he could toss you around, hold you up in different positions....

You had to pull yourself from those thoughts. "Hey" came Gladiolus's worried voice. "You got quiet all of a sudden, I thought I scared you off" he sighed in relief as you shook your head. "Sorry, must be the adrenaline still kicking in" you lied. "Why are you so excited?" you didn't like the tone of his voice as he spoke. "I-I'm not excited, just anxious" you admitted bashfully. "Do you think I'll do something after confessing I dig you?" he teased licking his lips. You gulped and crossed your legs to try and control yourself. "I wouldn't take you as one to pass up the opportunity" you shot back.

Gladiolus let out a roar of laughter. "You're right, but only if you don't mind" he leaned in closer to you. It looked like his whole body could crush you. "It depends on what you're gonna do" you gulped and tried to hold your place. It felt like you were being preyed upon by a beast. "Kissing would be a waste, so I'll teach you something you can take home" he whispered into your ear. You shivered as his lips came into contact with your neck. His hands moved to your jogging pants and dipped past the waistband. You could feel his large fingers search your thighs and your ass for your opening. His rough fingers prodded it gently through your underwear. You let out a sharp gasp and clutched the front of his hoodie.

"Relax cutie, I promise it won't hurt" he cooed against your skin. A whimper crawled out of your throat as his hand slipped into your underwear. His other hand slid under your shirt and found one of your nipples. He rolled the nub until hard while he inserted two fingers into you. A low growl emitted from Gladiolus as he felt you clamp down on his fingers. "No one's ever touched you like this?" he groaned. You nodded weakly as another whimper escaped your mouth. It was shameful and odd how easily you were coming undone. His touch was foreign but welcoming to your body. Heat shot to all ends of you as he worked his fingers inside you. The hand up your shirt pinched and pulled at your nipple roughly. The callouses on his hands created a sinful friction on your skin. He began exploring with his fingers, going further inside you. He stretched the limits of your cavern, ripping a gasp from you.

"Gladio..." you moaned raising your hips in time with his movements. He pulled back enough so he could see you. The way your hips moved, your flushed face, your sweet moans. He was hard in the blink of an eye. "Just do what feels right, don't try and hold back" he chuckled. His words seem to set you off and you felt your body shudder with relief. It took a while before you were able to relax. A wet feeling seeped around your lower area as he withdrew his hand. "That..." you found yourself at a loss for words. "It's different when someone else does it huh?" he said with a knowing smirk. You glanced at him and found yourself blushing as his hard on promptly showed through his pants.

"Don't worry about this, I'll handle it later" he reassured you. "O-okay" you nodded moving to stand. Your legs felt weak as you leaned against the wall. "What did I say sugar?" you shot Gladiolus a quick glare as you leaned on him. "Then support me back to the lobby" you shot back. "Easy, it's not like you didn't like it" he chuckled.

Well, he wasn't wrong.

 


	9. Nightmare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nightmares bring terror, grief and suffering. However, truth may also be a passenger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Later on I'll recap from this chapter when I tell reader's backstory.

**"Nothing happens to anybody which he is not fitted by nature to bear"--(Marcus Aurelius)**

_Something was terribly wrong. You were running as far as your small body could take you. It wasn't clear, but something told you to go to the borders of the village. The guarded walls you were told to stay away from didn't matter. You slipped by the guards by climbing through a crack only large enough for a child. It was dark but the orange light at the end gave you relief. You stumbled out and looked around. The thick forest provided little vision and light. "Hey! Can you hear me?!" you shouted._

_A moment of silence passed before a weary groan echoed out. You ran in the direction of the voice, it sounded familiar, it sounded..._

_in pain._

_You could feel grief rise in your throat as you drew closer. The trees opened up to reveal a patch of green grass. A small child with long white hair lies there unmoving. You recognized the child as a friend of yours, but something terrible happened._

_"L̸̛̛̦̯̹̝̯̯̘̻̤̮̙̻u͡҉̡͓̙͔͚̦͎͕͔͍̭̣̙̞̠̜̞c̵̴̗̤͍͓͕͖̦e̺̜̘̱̬͝͝r̵͙͕̖͍̘͔̪̼̹̤͍͜e̶̵̮̝̲̜͢!"_

 

_You ran over and fell into a crouch by the child. You lifted his head and pushed his bangs out of the way. His eyes fluttered open and he turned to you with a pained look. "____, it hurts" he moaned leaning into your body. You lifted him up and felt a wave of panic overcome you. "Nana, I'll take you to Nana, she will help" your voice began to waver as you headed back the way you came. You needed to get help, time was running out._

_Night crept around the trees until the forest was shrouded in darkness. A whine slipped out as you held your friend closer, in an attempt to relieve yourself and protect him. It was quiet before the sick sound of something manifesting from the shadows reached your ear. Groans and hisses surrounded you as you tried to find your way back. "No, no no no...." you began to weep as you stumbled to the ground._

_A thought occurred to you, the last of your hope. "I need light, please give me a crystal" you sobbed putting your hands to the ground. Glowing markings appeared against the ground around you. They flickered and began to fade abruptly. "No, why?" tears began to fill your vision as all hope seemed lost. "Hrrrk!" your friend began writhing in pain and the marking returned. "No!" you tried to crawl over but your body felt heavy. Sharp glowing eyes drew near from the bushes, manifesting ugly forms of demons. "Stay back, don't you touch him!" you shouted._

_"Poor thing"_

_A sultry voice rang out just above you. You met glowing orange eyes and a wry smile._

_"Your life was a tragedy the second you were born"._

* * *

 

You woke in a cold sweat. Your hands clawed at your sheets, looking for someone. On instinct, you crawled out of bed and headed for Nyx's room. As soon as you opened the door, you remembered his absence. A sob threatened to rise as you went back to your room. You grabbed your cell phone, a gift from the glaive for you entering high school, and returned to his room. Climbing into his bed, you curled up and began dialing his phone. It rang and rang and rang but no answer. You knew he was probably in the heat of battle at the moment. You buried your head into his sheets and muffled a sob. Your fingers slipped and called someone. The sound of a line picking up gave you hope and anxiety.

"Ugh, I was kinda sleeping..."

Noctis. You had called Noctis. A lump formed in your throat as you tried to calm yourself. "I....I'm sorry" you allowed past your lips. "Just get to the point" he let out a yawn as he spoke. "You said I can come over...whenever right?" your voice became timider as time went on. ".....yeah?" Noctis sounded more awake at this point. "I'm coming over" you stated, rising from the bed. There was a thud and a groan on the other line. "Noct?" you heard him mumbling on the other end. "I just dropped my phone, but why do you want to come now?" he sounded a bit annoyed. Your grief had welled up too much, you weren't able to hide the sob this time.

"Please"

A moment of silence passed before he spoke.

"Follow my directions and you should be here in no time"

* * *

 

It was odd how walking alone at night didn't bring you fear. A few night owls lined the street but paid you no mind. Your eyes were fixed on the path ahead and your ear tuned to the sleepy prince's directions. You were on a non-stop journey to his apartment, anyone could clearly tell. Your heart felt heavy with each step as if the organ would drag you to the pavement if you stopped even for a second.

Noctis's apartment came into view and you hastily ran up to the structure. At the same time, he had opened the door with a tired frown. "Wha-" your tight embrace cut him off and made him stumble back. "Hey, at least wait until we get back to my room" he sighed pulling you with him. The entire way up, you hugged him from behind. Noctis led you to his flat, only leaving a dim light on. "Alright, what's wrong?" he asked awkwardly patting your back. You pulled away and that was when you realized you had been crying. "I had a nightmare, but it wasn't normal, it was almost like a memory," you said in a quiet voice. Noctis's brow furrowed, he wore a look of empathy while he took it all in. "I think I can relate, but why come here?" he asked. "My guardian, he's away so I'm all alone at home" you admitted bitterly. You heard Noctis let out a sigh as if he knew this situation. "Let me guess, away on business and you're scared to death?" his words pricked at you harshly. "I wouldn't say to death..." you began. "Then go home" he waved his arm at the door. You pursed your lips and gave him a glare. "Scared to death it is, this way" he walked back to his room without checking to see if you were following. The sound of your footsteps was enough for him.

He dropped onto his bed and moved to one side. He raised the blanket up, inviting you to lay in the open area. You climbed in next to him and kept your distance. "You see this?" he picked something up from his night stand. It was a small glass figure, translucent green with a red horn, in the shape of an animal. "This is Carbuncle, he'll guard your dreams" he yawned placing the idol back down. You nodded in understanding and tried to calm yourself. Noctis seemed to slip into sleep quickly, leaving you alone in consciousness. You shuffled closer until you were pressed against him, inhaling his scent. You allowed your mind to be filled with your thoughts and memories of him, eventually, his breathing lulled you to sleep.

* * *

 

 _This time you awoke at a fountain. You were a child again, but this time in a city surrounded by water. You looked around in awe, it was a beautiful city that you had never seen before. The sound of a beep came from your pocket, prompting you to reach into it. You pulled out your phone and read "Hello!" in a cute font. You looked around again, trying to find the sender. "Look down" the text came again. At your feet sat a small furry creature. The light in its eyes told you it was finding amusement in your confusion. "Hi, I'm Carbuncle," said creature bowed its head in greeting. You waved back, taken back by the_ appearance _of it. "My friend wants to play with you, but he's too shy to ask" Carbuncle rose and trotted over to the other side of the fountain._

_Behind the giant fixture in the center, a tuft of black hair peeked over the edge. Soft blue eyes loomed over the edge before a small gasp was heard. The boy crouched back down and shushed Carbuncle. "Don't 'shhh' me, scaredy cat" Carbuncle chided trotting back into view. The boy slowly walked out, bowing his head low. "Um hi?" you gave him a small wave, crouching down a bit to get a better look at him._

_He looked up with a sheepish grin. "Hi..." his voice was barely audible as he tried to keep eye contact. He looked off to the side, at Carbuncle, almost in a plea for help. "He is really shy" Carbuncle texted you with a rolling eye emoji. You stuck your hand out and waited for him to take it. He slowly put his hand in yours, letting you shake for him. "My name is ____," you said with a smile. His eyes lit up and he started fumbling for words. "You! you're the one from before!" he exclaimed. You tilted your head in confusion. "That time with the monster, you were so cool!" a smile broke out on his face as he continued to boast about you._

_But one thing bothered you._

_What exactly did you do?_


	10. Good morning Umbra

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm working on making the chapters longer, about 2,000 from now on.

**"Tis sweet to feel by what fine-spun threads our affections are drawn together."--(Laurence Sterne)**

It had been too long since you'd had such a nice dream. The little boy had introduced himself as Noctis and you both explored the city. It was a sweet dream that left you feeling fuzzy when you woke. That feeling didn't last very long.

Your eyes slowly blinked open into black tousled hair. Noctis currently had you in a tight hold, burying his face into your neck. You gave him a slight nudge to try and get away, but he didn't budge. As much as you wanted to get out, you considered waking him with a pinch again. However, you resisted the urge to anger the sleepy prince. Instead, you placed your hands on his arms and stroked his bare skin. His arms loosened and you moved bak, lacing your fingers with his and guiding them to his side of the bed.

He let out a soft moan and his face contorted into a small smile as you placed his hands back on the mattress. You had to bite your cheek, he was being way too cute. Honestly speaking, you were tempted to take a picture but you resisted the urge. He'd throw a big fit if he knew you took a picture.

You quietly crept out of his room and made your way to his living room. You hadn't realized how trashed it was in the darkness, you crinkled your nose at the smell. Just as you begun to try and tidy up the place, something moved from the corner of your eye. In a state of panic, you jumped back and fell on the floor. Your eyes were closed in pain and you hissed out a curse. Just before you could stand, a small claw landed on your hand.

You opened your eyes and met tiny dark ones. The puppy held a book in his mouth and wagged his tail expectantly. So many questions went through your mind, mostly about how was Noctis allowed to have a dog? Either way, this puppy wanted your help. You took the book from him gently and placed it on the table while he sat and waited. You were sure it was for Noctis, which meant you shouldn't read it. An awkward silence passed by before the puppy whined and it finally hit you. "Oh! uh, good job boy?" you cooed, petting his small head. He let out a bark and nuzzled into your hand.

The puppy rose up and walked to the door, urging you to follow and let him out. No sooner did you open the door did he take off around the corner and disappeared. "Well that was weird," you said aloud. "That was Umbra" a voice spoke from the hallway. You let out a small shriek and fell back into the apartment. Once again, your bum made contact with the hard floor and you groaned in pain. "I apologize, I didn't mean to startle you" Ignis coughed. His hand hid an amused grin while he crouched down to help you up. You took his hand and let him pull you to his feet. His strength had you stumbling forward slightly, causing you to use your free hand to brace against his chest.

"Thank you Ignis," you said in a quiet voice. He hummed in response and walked by you to enter. You followed behind and shut the door. You saw Ignis pinch the bridge of his nose and sigh. "Should I not be here?" you shifted your weight and felt anxiety rise in your throat. For a minute, you forgot Ignis was an advisor and this probably looked bad. "Hm? no, it's just his 'highness's habits' that have me at wit's end" Ignis turned to face you. He rested his hand on your shoulder, waiting for you to meet his eyes. "I am aware the Kingsglaive is off on duty, which means you are here because you were left behind" Ignis concluded. You bit your lip at his words. While it was true you were left behind, if still bugged you that they didn't take you. "To the contrary, I believe that to be a good thing that you are here and safe" Ignis continued. You felt a smile creep onto your face and he turned back to the mess.

"As safe as this room may be" Ignis went over to the kitchen and took out a trash bag and gloves. You followed him and put on gloves. "I'll help, then we can make breakfast" you chimed in. "Very well, I appreciate the help" Ignis flashed you a smile before going to work on the mess.

* * *

 

A good half-hour passed before you two had the mess cleaned up. By this point, you wanted to drag Noctis out of bed and have him sleep on the piles of trash. "Thank you again for the assistance, I'll treat you to lunch sometime later" Ignis declared. "I'd like that" you agreed. You both washed your hands and began the preparation work for breakfast. Ignis gave you directions over his shoulder while you carried them out to the best of your abilities. Ignis took over at the end when it came to plating, leaving you both to small talk until he finished.

"So, is Umbra Noct's dog?" you inquired. "As if he could be trusted with one" Ignis scoffed. "Then?" you urged him to continue. "Umbra is one of Lady Lunafreya's dogs," Ignis said. You gave a start as he finished. "Lunafreya, the Lunafreya?!" you exclaimed. "Is there any other?" Ignis chuckled. You pouted at him in retaliation to his sass. "Now, now, I mean well" Ignis defended as he finished plating breakfast for three. "She and Noct share a special bond, the journals are their way of keeping touch" the continued. His words made your stomach grow tight with a bad feeling.

"Oh" your lips moved without you thinking.

"I'll wake Noct, wouldn't want a repeat of last time" Ignis made long strides to Noctis's bedroom, leaving you to brood over the new information. You decided to push the thought back, it wasn't your business to know what went on between them.

You began to eat from your plate, the savory eggs complimented the cut potatoes and the mixed veggies. You considered stealing Noctis's share since he would most likely push them to the side. However, before you could make a move, a sleepy groan and slow footsteps caught your attention. Noctis, with Ignis at his heels, took a seat next to you and looked down at his plate. He wore a small scowl and went to say something to Ignis. "All of it Noct" Ignis replied without looking up from his plate. Noctis, although reluctantly, began to eat his food.

"So, Ignis, could you by chance take me to the Citadel for training?" you asked. He looked up a bit surprised by your request. "I don't see a problem with it" he replied. A smile graced your features and you continued to eat. "You train at the Citadel?" Noctis asked in surprise. You suddenly remembered you hadn't told Noctis or Prompto about you "living situation". "Yeah, I train with Gladio" you admitted, leaving out the reason why. Noctis's face turned into a scowl, which made you worry. "I guess it's not enough for him to toss me around" he sighed angrily. "It would help if you actually came to training" Ignis scoffed. You couldn't stifle the giggle that rose from their banter. Both men turned to you with small grins, Noctis's barely visible under his fatigue.

"I'll go when he stops making appointments so early" Noctis drawled. You finished your plate and went to put it into the sink. "I doubt he will, maybe you should consider getting up early?" you suggested. Noctis gave you a hard stare before flicking his fork at you.

"Not a chance"

* * *

 

After your delightful breakfast, Ignis took you back to Nyx's apartment for you to prepare for training. When he parked at the Citadel, he followed you in and made you curious. "Do you have any work today?" you asked, noticing the lack of materials present. "Nothing terribly important, I just thought I'd join you and Gladio today" he confessed. "Oh really? well, that sounds nice" you tried to hide the nervous tone in your voice. Ignis was charming and Gladiolus was flirtatious, the two together would provide numerous distractions and opportunity for you to make a fool of yourself.

"Maybe you could teach me a thing or two then" you laughed. Ignis stopped for a moment before an ambitious grins spread along his lips. "Perhaps I can" he mused.

_"Hoo boy"_

A grunt brought both of your gazes toward the training room. Gladiolus stood, waiting in his usual training gear, a tight shirt, and athletic pants. "Gonna teach us some yoga Iggy?" Gladiolus teased, arching a brow. "It would do you some good to learn to be _flexible_ " Ignis shot back. Gladiolus let out a low whistle and entered the training room. "Your words, not mine" he wore a smirk and winked at you. To which, you gasped and avoided his gaze like a grumpy child. "It's a wonder you get anything done with all your amorous banter" Ignis interrupted, placing a hand on your shoulder.

"Let's begin with a few stretches" Ignis began leading the stretches, leaving you and Gladiolus to follow. You both groaned as your bodies entered new forms and stretched muscles that had not been used. "Man, this might kill me" Gladiolus groaned rolling his hips to get feeling back. "And here I thought you were 'regularly' stretching at least with that" Ignis chided. "If either of you two or both, wanna see for yourself than say the word" Gladiolus chuckled. "I'm sure Ignis would put you to shame" you snickered earning a frown from the bulky man. "The worst part is, I don't doubt that" Gladio sighed.

"Your form is sloppy, you'll end up hurting yourself" Ignis interrupted. He hurried over and brought his hands down on your legs. He spread your thighs accordingly and held you at the waist. "Like this, now it doesn't hurt as bad correct?" he mused. You could only wheeze and nod, either from fatigue or from embarrassment. "If you don't do it properly, it will be for naught" Ignis continued. "Never saw you so 'hands on' Iggy" Gladio below. Ignis left your body and straightened up. "I assure you, I can be 'hands on' whenever I choose to be" Ignis shot back.

Your mind was growing dizzy from their banter. You knew Gladiolus was teasing, but it didn't stop you from fantasizing. Sometimes you thought of Ignis touching you or Gladiolus pleasuring you like last time, with Ignis to spectate. On the rare occasion, you imagined them going at it with you to spectate....

"Did we lose ya?" Gladiolus voice broke you from his thoughts. "No! I was just thinking" you confessed, you relaxed your body and straightened up. "Of?" Ignis urged you on. You bit your lip and looked at your feet. "Of how you two tease each other like a married couple" you laughed. Both men's faces dropped, revealing that had 'different' expectations for your answer. "Well, if that's what you're into babe, I can make it work" Gladiolus winked at Ignis. To which, Ignis rolled his eyes and sighed. "Let's get back to training and save the idle chatter for later" Ignis declared.

"That means he's thinking about it" Gladiolus whispered.

"No way!"


	11. Mr.Scientia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I just really want an Ignis-centered fic right now. Next chapter will center prompto, then gladio.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't forget, if you want to contact me then visit my tumblr.

**"The only ones among you who will be really happy are those who will have sought and found how to serve."--(Albert Schweitzer)**

After having a rigorous training session with Gladiolus, realization overcame you.

You really didn't know much about Ignis.

In school, you grew up around Noctis and Gladiolus, then prompto came around. But you had only met Ignis recently. He had mentioned he knew about you, most likely through his position as advisor to the heir apparent. It made you feel exposed knowing he's probably learned about everything about your coming to Insomnia and the "conditions" of staying. It became your mission to learn more about the handsome advisor.

"Let's call it a day" Ignis sighed.

Welp. There goes that plan.

"Really? Can't we train a little more?" you pleaded. Ignis gave you a tired look while Gladiolus wore a confused one. "I don't know if I should be impressed or jealous" Gladiolus chuckled. "Either way, it's not good to strain yourself" he continued. "And I have other duties to attend to, I cannot prolong this" Ignis explained. You felt your argument crumble in your hands. "Oh okay" you complied to their choices without further delay. "Well, I'll be going, don't forget to do some cool down exercises before bed" Gladiolus called out before leaving the training room.

That left you and Ignis alone. He wiped his face with a towel and glance at you. "Did you need something from me?" he asked. You gave him a nervous smile and hid your hands behind you. "Well, I don't really want to go home yet...." you confessed. Ignis gave you a hard stare, one that made you look at your feet instantly. "I suppose you could lodge with me tonight," he said with a tired sigh. You perked up at this, a look of shock overtaking your features. "Really?! I ca- ah, I mean thank you" Ignis chuckled at your excitement. "It should be fine today, but I suggest you stay with Gladiolus or Prompto until your guardian returns" you heeded his words as you followed behind him. "Okay, I just hope he comes back soon," you said in a low voice. "It's a bit unusual for the Glaive to gone this long..." Ignis trailed off, his eyes caught your worried expression and he coughed. "But, I assure you they are very much alive" he continued.

Ignis led you out of the training room and into a long corridor. The grand decor had your eyes wandering like a child. "That's good, I don't want to think if one of them..." you trailed off looking down another corridor. Just down the way, the King was shuffling in your direction. He gave a small smile, causing you to shuffle behind Ignis. The latter simply nodded and guided you to the lodgings in the Citadel. "Do you not like his majesty?" Ignis asked. "It's not that" you replied giving him space. "Then what?" Ignis opened the door to his suite and shot you a curious look. "I...just don't know what to say" you admitted, you walked in and quickly removed your shoes. "You could say thank you" Ignis went to the kitchen and began preparing coffee. You followed him and sat at the high counter top. "I already said that before...wait!" you pushed up from your elbow onto the palms of your hand. Ignis halted and cocked his head. "You take sugar? or maybe cream?" he asked. "Not that! Do you know something about me?" you glared as he continued to brew.

"I don't know all the details about 10 years ago, but I know it led to you immigrating into Insomnia," he said. You sat back down in your seat, staring into the clear marble. "That's it, you're all prying into my past when I know nothing about any of you" your mumbles caught his attention. "Well, then what would you like to know?" Ignis raised a mug in good merry.

"Well, how old are you?"

"20"  
  
"Your favorite color?"

"Palatinate purple"  
  
"Your type?"

Ignis faltered at this question. "What are you implying?" he raised a brow while crossing his arms. "Just making sure you were paying attention" you laughed. "I'm not used to having someone so invested in me" Ignis reached for the kettle and poured coffee into his mug. He offered you some, only filling it two-thirds of the way. "Cream or sugar?" he asked, gesturing to the containers lining the counter. "I'll take it how it is thank you" you replied with a confident smile. Ignis shook his head and put the kettle down. "Forgive me, I didn't take you for one to enjoy coffee black" he admitted. "Well, it's not that it tastes good but I kinda like the bitterness" you replied before taking a careful sip.

"Most would call that masochism" Ignis chuckled taking a sip from his own mug. You gave him wry smile and rolled your eyes. "What are you implying?" you scoffed indulging into your coffee. "I think I'm beginning to see the charm the others see in you" Ignis chuckled. You looked at him in confusion and sat down your mug. "Hey, no talking about me, we're talking about you" he nodded and noted how adorable your pout was. "I am aware of it, I'll resist my jesting for now" Ignis declared, raising his mug to clink against yours. You hummed in delight and began to generate new questions.

"So, what were you like as a kid?" you asked. "I was...much like I am now if not more curious in my youth" Ignis stated plainly. "There goes my hopes for a delinquent Ignis" you sighed. "Well, there were times I snuck out to the gardens with Noct," Ignis said with a reminiscent grin. "Why the gardens?" came your quick reply. "Noct's mother had a special memorial there, he was transfixed on that place for years" Ignis replied. You felt your heart drop at the mention of Noctis's deceased mother. "I-I see, so you were a bit of a rule breaker!" you tried the lighten the mood with a small jab at Ignis. "You could say so" he agreed.

A somber silence overcame the flat, the only sound coming from you both sipping coffee. The grumbling of your stomach broke the silence, reminding Ignis what time it was. "How unsightly on of me, I lost track of the time and forgot dinner" Ignis chuckled turning away from the counter. Your cheeks burned from embarrassment as you rose from the stool and crossed around the to the kitchen. "Let me help, I can do the prep work" you offered eagerly. "My, my, you're spoiling me now" Ignis chuckled. "What do you mean?" you smiled, he handed you a spare apron that matched the one he donned. "I've never had someone so eager to help me, other than the usual staff" he admitted. “I don't mind helping, I do most of the housework at home anyway" you reassured him. "Your guardian is lucky to have you then" Ignis words made you smile and shy away from him.

"Hey! don't think we're done, you keep trying to make this about me when I'm asking the questions" you laughed. "My plans have been exposed" he replied with just as much amusement. The light banter carried on as Ignis gave you instructions on how to prepare the vegetables. He guided your hand and showed you how to make proper cuts, pressing against you from behind and carefully placing his hands over yours. You were so caught up in his teachings, you failed to notice how close he was. "U-um Ignis?" you began, feeling your cheeks grow hot. He stopped mid-sentence and blinked at you. For a moment you thought he was reading your expression, but he quickly shifted back to the stove. "I nearly forgot the main dish" he mumbled concentrating back on his part of the work. You released the breath you were holding and went back to your cuts.

After your part was done, Ignis had told you where the bathroom was so you could clean your hands. He stayed in the kitchen to combine the separate work into a glorious meal. Or at least by smell you thought it would be. It wasn't hard to find the bathroom since his flat was tidy and barren, except for the usual utilities. You did your best to resist the obvious detour to Ignis's bedroom, that would be rude! However, you weren't one for rules or modesty. You peek into the room and to your surprise, it was rather plain. You gave a huff and returned to the living room. Ignis shot you a curious look before waiting for you to take the seat across from him. "Something troubling you?" Ignis asked, you raised your face and showed him your frustrated frown.

"You Ignis, I want to know more about you but I can't really figure it out" you confessed. This came as a surprise to him, that much was clear. He seemed to process your words before breaking out into a fit of laughter. "You are quite the curious one, I am afraid there isn't much to me" he admitted. You didn't understand what he meant, surely he had something. "My duty is to Noct and the future of Lucius, I don't have the luxury of having much of a personal life" he continued. "But surely you have things you want to do, things you want to have, and places you want to go" you argued. Ignis stared at you for a long time before replying. "None that I can think of, but I trust you will help me?" he said in a hopeful tone. You rose from your seat and reached across the table and took hold of his hands.

"Of course! I'm not going anywhere until I know as much about you as you know me" you declared. "It's a deal then" Ignis nodded. A moment passed before he glanced down. "Our dinner is getting cold, let's not get carried away tonight" he chuckled. You released his hands and sat back down. "I'll think of more stuff to ask, so you better be ready" you challenged him, your cheeks flushing red.

"I'll try"


	12. And that's why they call it puppy love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another Prompto-centered chapter. Next up is Gladio.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I honestly don't know how this ended up being 3,000+ words. Like how.

**"First love is only a little foolishness and a lot of curiosity"--(George Bernard Shaw)**

The next day came much like the last. You continued to train at the Citadel while the glaives were off on duty. You were seeing more of the Citadel and the many who worked for the crown. In this time, however, you were seeing less of Noctis. This produced an odd feeling within you. Since junior high, you had been with Noctis. You had a very shallow relationship at first, simply sharing the same quiet place to nap and eat. But he slowly became someone you were dependent on. Now, it felt like he was slipping away.

"You doing okay there?" Prompto's voice took you by surprise, causing you to push off the wall you were leaning on and stumble to the ground. "F-fuck!" you squeaked hitting the marble floor. Prompto was quick to help you up, still in shock. "Are you really okay?!" he asked again, this time in a panic. "S-sorry, you took me by surprise is all" you took his hand and rose to your feet. "And I wasn't even trying" Prompto teased with a smile. You flicked his forehead and began walking ahead. "But seriously, are you okay?" he repeated the question once again, leaving you to think he wouldn't stop until he got an answer. "I was just thinking is all..." you gave him a tired smile and slowed down for him to catch up.

"About?"

"Where I'll be sleeping tonight"

Prompto stopped and stared at you. "Are you...are you running away from home?" he asked. You almost fell again at his question. "Of course not! it's just... lonely at home right now and Ignis was nice enough to let me stay over" you continued walking. "Ignis let you stay over?" Prompto repeated in disbelief. "Yeah, after I stayed at Noct's place for a night" you added. "Noct too? Did you stay at Gladio's place too" he sounded defeated as he spoke. "Not yet, I was kinda hoping I could stay at your place" it was his turn to stumble when you spoke.

"My place?! really?!" Prompto straightened up frantically, wearing a shocked expression. "I mean, I could ask Gladio if you're not feeling it..." you began. "Oh, I'm feeling it! I am so feeling it like I feel a lotta things" Prompto's voice cracked as he shot finger guns at you. "Prompto, you're scaring me," you said straight-faced. For a brief moment, he panicked. Only to relax when you broke out in laughter. "I'm kidding, let's get going" your fingers wrapped around his wrist and tugged him along.

It didn't take long to arrive at his house. It took you by surprise that Prompto's parents were absent again. "Haha yeah, they don't come home much" his laughter was dry as he spoke. "It must get lonely sometimes" he nodded and flashed you a smile. "No time for frowns, let's par-tay~" Prompto made a break for the stairs when a loud grumble echoed through the room. His face flushed red and he hugged his stomach. "I think the 'par-tay' can wait, let's get some grub into you" he nodded as you opened his fridge.

A moment of silence passed before you turned to Prompto. "Do you live like this?" you indicated toward the empty fridge. "Hehe....don't really have to cook..." Prompto avoided your gaze. "Let's go" you shut the door swiftly and went to put on your shoes.

"Where are we going?" Prompto followed and fumbled with his shoes.

"Shopping, freckles"

* * *

 

Surprisingly enough, Prompto made a very good basket holder. He didn't really have any ideas for cooking, but he had no qualms about carrying the basket. "Look at all that chocolate~" he mused inching into the candy isle. "Prompto, you can't cook chocolate" you pulled him by the collar of his shirt and headed back to the produce. "Not with that attitude" he sighed falling in line. You could hear him humming the store's music and doing a little dance next to you.

"Feel like dancing?" you mused.

"What can I say? These mangoes were made to tango!" Prompto laughed. You covered your face as you laughed. "You did not just say that!" your cheeks hurt from smiling so hard. "Don't be embarrassed by a little salsa~" Prompto did a little jig and pulled a jar from a nearby shelf. "That's tomato sauce you dingus" you laughed harder as realization sat in. "Eh, close enough" Prompto chuckled setting the jar back down. "Let's get you out of here before you find a pineapple" your voice began to crack from laughing so hard.

"How'd you know I like to Hula?" Prompto began swaying his hips.

Cue more silly laughter.

* * *

 

Despite Prompto being a great basket holder, he wasn't very proficient in the kitchen. "Okay, so that was one time" he defended. "The entire towel was in flames" you clarified while rolling your eyes. He pouted and rested his head on his arms at the table. "Okay, okay, I promise not to go into the kitchen" he groaned. You smiled triumphantly while going back to the stove. "I hope you like curry, it's the only thing I can make on a budget right now" you fixed him a plate and carefully brought it over. "It's hot so give it a moment" you warned, stopping him in his tracks. "Smells good, can't wait to dig in" Prompto watched you return to the kitchen only to walk back out shortly carrying your own plate. "Hope it tastes as good as it smells" you gave your curry a cautious glance before scooping up a bit with your spoon. You blew softly until the steam had resided. You pushed the spoonful of curry into your mouth and watched Prompto do the same.

"Oh my god, it's delicious!" Prompto shouted, his mouth full of curry. "It's nothing special" you insisted. "There is a party in my stomach!" he continued, chewing away with a big smile. "Prompto! you're embarrassing me" you smiled back. "No, but really this is awesome, where did you learn to cook like this?" Prompto asked. You shyly avoided his gaze and stirred your curry. "Well, I had a few experiments and then Ignis gave me some help" you confessed. "Leave it to Iggy" Prompto sighed. "Anyways, this is delicious, has a 'made with love' feel y'know?" Prompto chuckled. "My guardian said the same thing" you giggled. "Yeah well, he's lucky to get to eat your food all the time" Prompto replied eating another heaping spoonful.

"Slow down Romeo, there are plenty of leftovers for you to keep" you scolded as Prompto shoveled his curry down. You finished shortly after and went back to clean up. "I'll help with the dishes, can't set water on fire now can I?" he joked. "I wouldn't be surprised if you did" he frowned and accepted the dishes from you. "Ouch, I'll make sure to take pictures for you then" he placed the dishes into the sink and began washing.

In no time, with your joined efforts, the kitchen was clean and the leftovers secured into the fridge. Prompto went ahead upstair to 'clean up' while you examined the quiet first floor. It was entirely quiet and you became uneasy being alone. You quietly climbed the stairs, heading to the closed door with light shining through the cracks. "Prompto? you in there?" you called out, you knocked lightly on the door. "J-just a sec!" came Prompto's voice through the door. After a brief moment, the door opened and Prompto fumbled out with a bashful grin. "Sorry for the mess, was going through some albums earlier" he ushered you in and you glanced around.

His room hadn't changed much since your last visit. Prompto sat in his desk chair watched you climb onto his bed. You sat down and drew your knees up, looking meekly at the sheets. "Could I see some of your old pictures?" you asked. Prompto hesitated before giving a nervous laugh. "Sure, just don't laugh at the bad ones" he stood up and went over to his closet. He came over to the bed with several portfolios in hand. "So, which one first?" he offered you a random portfolio. "How about baby pictures?" you shot him a smirk. "Afraid I don't have any, couldn't even hold a camera yet" Prompto sighed. "What's the oldest photos you have?" you asked.

Promtpo reached over and gave you one of the largest ones. It was labeled "middle school". You opened it and scanned over the photos with interest. Most were random shots of animals of flowers. A few were of cars and tall buildings. The photo that caught your eye was a photo of yourself. "Is that me?" you looked closer and sure enough it was a photo of a younger, smaller you. In the photo, you were looking in the distance with a frown, as if troubled by some unseen force. "I-Is that you?! I uh, I mean I just..." Prompto was at a loss for words, he looked down at his hands as he tried to form an excuse. "Have we met before?" you asked Prompto, he flinched in response. "Well, I can kind of see the resemblance," he said, glancing at you. It was a while before he sighed and flipped to the next page, it was littered with photos of you around the school.

The last photo was of an empty desk, your desk. "I was kind of sad when you left" he lamented. "The bullying became too much, had to withdraw" you replied sadly. Prompto took the portfolio and flipped to the back. "I always cleaned your desk in the morning after they trashed it, I'm sorry I didn't help" he confessed showing you the photos. A plump blonde boy was in the picture, he wore a slight frown as he looked at himself in the mirror.

"That was you? Now I remember, you were always in the seat next to me" you came to a realization with a small smile. "Although you were quiet, you never said anything mean to me, I liked it" your voice shook a bit as you spoke. "W-well I wasn't really much of a talker anyways..." Prompto patted your back softly. A brief silence passed before you looked at the other photos. "O-oh!" you gasped looking away from the other page. Prompto jumped in surprise and his face went red when he saw the other photos. He had forgotten his 'record' of when he lost his weight. He wasn't embarrassed by all of them, just the ones before high school that he took. Most of them were of him just standing, the others had various poses and him flexing shirtless.

"Well! that's enough for tonight!" he hastily shut the portfolio and threw it into the closet. "Yawn, I'm soo sleepy!" Prompto faked fatigue and stumbled away from the bed. "Did you bring any pajamas?" he asked. You shook your head, regretting to forget the most common necessity. "Don't worry, I'll give you a shirt" he tossed you a large t-shirt. You watched him gather his own clothes and head for the door. "I'll be on the other side, just let me know when you're done" he gave a small wave before stepping out. As soon as the door shut behind him, you looked at his shirt. You slowly removed your clothes and changed into the shirt. Occasionally, you'd hear footsteps and the sound of Prompto fumbling with his clothes.

Just as you were putting the shirt over your head, your foot had stepped onto a portfolio. With a loud yelp, you pushed back and landed on the bed. One of your legs hung off the edge of the bed while your other tried to support you on the bed. Your midriff was exposed which didn't help when you hear the knob turn. "Are you okay?!" Prompto burst in shouting in worry. "P-prompto!" you shrieked trying to cover your stomach with your hands.

Although, his eyes had glanced at the exposed skin and focused on the area around your hips. His flushed red as he backed away and covered his eyes. "I-I am so sorry!" he gasped sliding to the floor. You hastily fixed the shirt, tugging the hem down to your knees. You both sat in an uncomfortable silence. "Sooo..." he began. "Did you want to do anything?" you asked pulling your knees to your chest. "A-anything?! I mean, how about some video games?!" Prompto scrambled over to his tv and fumbled with the controllers. "Was there something you wanted to do?" you emphasized 'you' when you spoke. Prompto sighed and hung his head. "Well, there was one thing" he confided.

"Which was?"

"C-can I kiss you, again?" he stuttered out.

You felt your cheeks grow hot, but smile threatened to form on your face. "Geez, at least buy me dinner first" you snickered. "I-I can do that! Sorry..." he apologized. "It's okay really, you can kiss me" you watched pure delight wash over his face as he rose from the floor. He crawled onto his bed, coming in close. One of his hands came up and brushed the side of your face. Prompto stayed that way for a brief moment. His eyes transfixed with yours, glancing away to study the slight movements you made. "Prompto..." you whispered, breaking him from his haze.

"____"

With that, he pressed his lips to yours gently. Your hands came up and clutched at the front of his shirt. Prompto eased you onto your back, climbing over you. In the middle of shifting, your knee came up and grazed across his crotch. Prompto moaned against your lips, making you shiver. When he pulled away, he was gasping for air. Prompto's face flushed red as he stared down at you. Despite being winded, your face matched his in redness. Your eyes wandered for a bit and you were able to catch a glimpse of just how 'excited' he had become.

"Prompto, you're um..." you avoided eye contact as he became painfully aware of what went down between his legs. "Oh, ha ha..." he trailed off, climbing off of you and heading to the door. "Wait" you called out, stopping him in his tracks. "Yeah?" Prompto turned around and faced you, his hand covering his boner. "I wanna see it" you demanded. Prompto swallowed hard and avoided eye contact. "N-no way, not happening" he argued. You held your ground, crawling to the edge of the bed. "It's only fair, don't act like you didn't look at mine" you shot back. Prompto debated with himself for a moment, he eventually sighed and brought his chair over to the edge of the bed. "Fine, but close your eyes" he sat down and fumbled with his boxers. You kept your eyes closed until the only sound was both of your breaths.

"Okay, open them," Prompto said.

You opened your eyes slowly, making out the shape of his bare waist. His cock was half-erected, drooping slightly and twitching occasionally. "It's...big..." you stared in awe. "What? no, I'm like average" Prompto protested. "Mmhmm" you hummed reaching out to him. He shrank away in retaliation. "C-can I touch it?" you pondered. "I-I don't know about that" he spluttered. Either way, your fingers grazed along the side of him, earning a whimper from him. You withdrew your hand quickly, eyes wide in fascination.

"O-okay, I really need to go take care of this" Prompto jumped up and shuffled to the door way. You caught him by his wrist, where his wrist band was. "Can I...help?" you offered him a bashful smile. "You don't have to do that..." Prompto defended quickly. "But I want to" you replied just as fast. "Wait a minute" he waited for you to release him before going over to his dresser. From the top drawer, he produced a small bottle of lube. "Spread this between your thighs," he said tossing you the bottle. Prompto watched you apply the fluid slowly on your inner thighs, he bit his lip and rubbed himself slowly. "Okay, now what?" you tossed the bottle aside, squirming at the slippery feeling. "C'mere and brace yourself against the door" you did as he told you. Hands splayed out on the door in front of you, Prompto rolled up the hem of your shirt over your waist.

"Let me see" he put his hand on your thigh and ushered you to open your legs for him. He felt himself grow harder at the sight of you. "Hey, what are you doing?" you asked, you glanced back at him. "Just wanted to make sure there was enough" he reassured you. His hands rested on your hips as he guided his dick between your thighs. "Now close your legs" he sighed burying his head into your neck. You heard his groan when your thighs clamped around him. Slowly, he began to thrust into you. His body rocked against yours, pushing you closer to the door. "Prompto" you sighed, you could feel him throb against your skin. "Just go with it" he replied planting a soft kiss on your neck.

This continued for some while. Prompto huffing and groaning against you while his hips worked him to completion. You felt your own body grow hot under his actions. It didn't help when he wrapped his arms around you and his mouth had rested against your ear. His voice letting out erotic moans of your name against your ear had you near the edge. "____, I-I-I..." he trailed off. Prompto gave one last sharp thrust before releasing on the door, some of him dripped onto your thighs. At the same time, you writhed as you came as well. This didn't go unnoticed by Prompto. "D-did you just? Did I make you..." he faltered still holding you.

All you could do was nod, you felt dizzy from your climax. Prompto put his cock back into his boxers and guided you to the bed. "Let's go to bed okay?" he let you climb into his bed, backing away from it slowly. "Nu-uh, you're sleeping here too" you tugged him into the bed after you. He flopped down and mumbled into the pillow. "It's not weird, I think we're beyond that now" you argued facing the wall. You felt his hand draw small circles in your shoulder.

"Did you...hate it?" he asked.

"No Prompto, I kind of liked it" you replied softly.

There was a moment of silence as the lights went out. You were about to roll over to check on him before he cuddled up behind you.

"Good, I liked it too".


	13. Dinner at the Amicitia house

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Refer back to chapter nightmare, that hinted for Clarus story. Blessings will be explained later, yes Arydn is trolling the reader. Glaive arc will begin next chapter so say goodbye to your boys. Also, made up the lullaby on the fly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These chapters are getting longer and longer OTL

**"No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path."--(Buddha)**

_You found yourself feeling light as if you were standing on air. It was a dream again, you hadn't dreamt in so long it felt foreign. The area was dim and quiet, the light came faintly from the walls and lit enough for you to manage. You took careful steps forward, the corridor was narrow and a feeling egged you to head to the end of it. The walls were old and decorated with fine details, making you wonder if this was a place of worship or royalty. Your footsteps echoed loudly and made the hall seem all the eerier. You felt like you were being watched like someone was waiting for you to reach the end._

_You hurried to the end of the corridor, which opened to a large room. Pews were lined up, waiting for a crowd that would never come. The windows were stained glass murals of various people. All showed 4 people, each telling different stories. You found yourself gazing sadly at the ones that displayed tragedy. At the far end of the room, a center window displayed a clear glass picture. It puzzled you and drew you in with curiosity. As you approached, a cold wind blew through the area._

_"Your story has yet to begin," said a soothing voice. You felt a shiver come by and noticed a flurry of white. The wind left as quickly as it came, in it places came a powerful voice that shook like thunder. "With a fair amount of hardships you must conquer!" it bellowed. You jumped on the floor below you shook, a new voice emerged in a strained tone. "Trials you will face alone!" it grumbled. You braced yourself against the small altar before the clear glass. "What do you mean?!" you cried out._

_There was a sudden quiet, everything had ceased and the sound of footsteps echoed in the hall. A wave of fear overcame you as a figure approached. The figure was dressed in dark expensive looking robes that were decorated with gold. Around his neck, crystals hung like frozen rain on his chest. His head was graced with long hair that was dark as night. The man donned a head piece that reminded you of an old story. That's when it hit you. This was no man, this was a god._

_"Bahamut, you should know this"._

_His voice was as graceful as his posture. You flinched as he rose a gloved hand to you. He halted just before your crouching form, waiting for you to move. You looked him up and down before taking his hands. With a strong grip, he pulled you to your feet. You briefly met eyes with him and took note of how blue they were. Just like N-_

_"Please keep your affections in check"._

_You swallowed hard and avoided looking into his eyes. "Now you must have questions, however, refrain from asking unnecessary queries" he continued. You nodded slowly, still trying to take in his presence. "You are the only Crystalli in ages that have received my blessing, I trust you under stand the responsibility that follows" he motioned to the murals. "Your grandmother had the blessing of Shiva and your father the blessing of Titan" he motioned to 2 murals that glowed brown and white. Each mural had a hue to it, only a few glowing gold. "Those with Bahamut's blessing shall carry the fate of the world, it is not a light weight to shoulder" he turned back to you. At this point, your head was swimming with questions while you sorted out your thoughts. "What do I have to do?" you asked. "You must guide the king of Lucian blood in hand with the Oracle" Bahamut's words were still vague to you. "Guide them? I don't even know how to guide them?" you pressed him for more details._

_"That is for you to figure out, their fates have been cast, you are only to see them through to the end" he concluded. "And if I fail?" you thought you saw his face scrunched in frustration. "Then you shall repeat another tragedy, as the one before you" he motioned to the only glass mural that glowed red. As you looked upon it, you picked out 3 figures. One was impaled through the chest, an expression of agony and shock on his face. Another figure was bent over in despair, they had long white hair that reminded you of Nana. The last figure stood triumphantly, reaching for a large crystal. "Sariel, the first and last to be blessed with the blessing of Ifrit" Bahamut walked closer to the mural, you had a feeling he wanted you to follow. "Sariel failed to guide the Lucian bloodline and strayed from the Oracle's light" as Bahamut finished, the red light turned black._

_"Sariel wasn't to blame, but you aren't one to own up to your mistakes" a familiar voice cut through the room. You fell to your knees and began shaking, it was that sultry voice, the one from your nightmare. "You do not belong here!" Bahamut growled in rage. He drew his sword and surveyed the mural. The wounded man's face twisted into a sadistic grin. "How rude, just when will I be able to tell my story?" the voice didn't sound at all hurt by Bahamut's words. "Child, leave this place at once" Bahamut rose his blade in defense as a claw of darkness shot at you. You hurried to your feet and took off back down the corridor. "Don't leave just yet! I haven't even started the prologue!" the voice called to you. The walls shook and crumbled to give way to black ooze. At the end of the hall, you came to a pitfall that only held more darkness. "Are you going to jump? how daring!" the voice sounded closer this time._

_You took a deep breath and jumped._

* * *

  
You woke with a start. Panic overcame you as you tried to rise from the bed. Prompto groaned and pulled closer to him, nuzzling into your hair. "What's wrong?" he mumbled. "I...think I had another nightmare..." you said in a shaky voice. He made a distressed noise before shifting to press his forehead to yours. "Hey, you don't have to worry about a thing while I'm here," he said in a sleepy voice. Dawn had just begun to trickle through and you still felt anxious to sleep. "Do you want me to sing?" he asked, he smiled as you whispered a yes.

 _Soft little Chocobo, big fluffy head._  
_Good little Chocobo, tuck in bed._  
_What do you dream of? what could it be?_  
_Are you dreaming of eating a bundle of gyshal green?_  
_I'm dreaming of my friends who like to play._  
_I'm dreaming of riding my Chocobo all day._

Prompto's soft voice relaxed and lulled you into a light slumber. It was a while before either of you woke again. You both sat up, blinking the sleep away. When you looked at Prompto his hair was sticking up and fussed around. You held back your laughter, making it painfully aware just how bad his bedhead was. "I-I'm gonna go freshen up!" he jumped from the bed and ran out the room.

After a leftover-breakfast and a quick shower, Prompto walked with you back to the Citadel. Upon arrival, an energetic Gladiolus swung his arm over Prompto's shoulders. "Didn't think you'd show! And you even brought ___ with you" he smiled as you waved. "Did you have fun at Prompto's place?" Gladiolus emphasized fun in a way that made Prompto flush. "Yes I did," you said with confidence that left Gladiolus confused. "Are you implying you had fun or-"

"If we are to train, I would hope it would be today" Ignis's voice cut your conversation in two as he waited, a bit annoyed by the display.

"Yes sir" you three groaned entering the training room.

* * *

  
After your sparring session, Gladiolus had whisked you away on a jog to his place. "You're crashing at my place tonight, Iris has been nagging me about you" he chuckled. You hadn't heard much about the girl except for her being Gladiolus's sister. Upon arrival, you noticed that the house was large and lavished. "You don't stay in the Citadel?" you asked. "My old man stays there mostly, sometimes he comes home" Gladiolus opened the door for you and closed it behind him. "Iris! you in here?!" he called out. The sound of stomping neared as a young girl with short brown hair fumbled around the corner. "I-I'm here!" she blurted out. She gazed at you before smiling brightly. "You must be ___! My name is Iris" she beamed. "Nice to meet you Iris" you replied with your own smile. "What were you doing?" Gladiolus asked, sniffing the air curiously. "I was just in the middle of making dinner, dad is gonna be home tonight" she bubbled over with joy. "Just our luck" you hear Gladiolus say under his breath.

"May I help?" you offered to Iris. "Only if you want to, you are our guest after all," she said despite the light that ignited in her eyes. "I'll leave you two to it then, gonna shower off" Gladiolus retreated upstair to what you could guess was the bathroom. "This way, we have a lot to talk about" Iris took your hand and guided you to the kitchen. While she directed you with the prep, you impressed her with your skills that developed under Ignis's tutelage. "I heard Ignis was a good cook, I'm so jealous!" she giggled. "He is but he is strict, but I'm not surprised" you admitted. "Does Noctis cook?" she asked. "Do cup noodles count?" you snorted. She simply smiled and turned back to the pot. "Gladdy says you're good friends with Noctis, I just thought I'd ask" she confessed. "You could say that, he told me you were interested in Noctis" her cheeks reddened as you spoke. "Our gladdy has quite the mouth huh?" Iris said, making you nod in agreement. "But that's fine, Noct has a charm to him" you insisted. "Right? and the prettiest eyes" Iris sighed. "He does look good when he smiles if he smiles" you added with an eye roll. "His hair looks so soft too!" Iris added in with enthusiasm.

"I think I'm gonna be sick" Gladiolus's voice caught your attention and made Iris pout. "Gladdy put on a shirt and stuff it" she shot back at him. Your eyes were stuck on the shirtless appearance of Gladiolus. You knew he was ripped but seeing it was different from believing it. "Like what you see?" Gladiolus winked at you. Your cheeks felt hot as you fumbled with a good comeback.

"Son, you better be referring to dinner".

The new voice caught all of you by surprise. An older man walked past Gladiolus and looked into the kitchen. "Daddy!" Iris squealed taking off and launching herself to his arms. The man chuckled and held her close. "Hello sir" you bowed slightly, not knowing how to properly greet the Shield of Lucius. "Please, Clarus will do" he reassured you. "Dinner is almost ready, wash up and wait at the table, you too Gladdy!" Iris ordered. As you both finished your preparations, both men made small talk at the table. You helped Iris bring out the main dish and side dishes. She had grilled strips of steak and dressed them in a savory sauce, you had sauteed peppers and cooked the chopped potatoes. "Food's up guys!" Iris announced with a pleased smile. "Looks great as always my little flower" Clarus praised, Iris just giggled and took a seat next to you. Before you began to eat, Clarus spoke up with something that caught your interest. "I'm glad to see you have adjusted to life in Insomnia," he said. "Could you tell me what I was like when I came here?" you pried with curious intention. "Scared and very upset with us" Clarus scowled at the memory. "Why was I upset?" you egged him on, now leaning forward in your chair.

"I recall when the Lamia attacked, you were just but a little thing then" Clarus sighed. His eyes looked tired in reminiscence of the past. "That creature gave a hell of a fight, killed a good number of soldiers and if not for you, the Prince himself" he gave you a pat on the back. "Forgive me if I don't remember," you said hesitantly. "That's okay, it's probably due to the magic seal placed on you" you gave him a worried look. "I assure you, it's only temporary until you are sworn to your king" he stated with a smile. "Can you tell me more about what happened that day?" you asked. "I'm interested in it too" Gladiolus announced as he entered, followed by a blushing Iris. "Gladdy! we can't just pry into ___ life" she gave an apologetic smile. "It's okay, I need to know and I don't mind you two knowing either" you explained. Clarus cleared his throat, an indication for the other two to sit down. "Now let's see, the area was covered in flames..."

_The once peaceful perimeter of Lucius was now a sea of flames. Vehicles lay scattered in pieces and crushed by the monster who had attacked them. A mighty roar tore through the area, invoking panic in the humans present. The Lamia slashed its blades at the soldiers present, its large tail barely missing the area where the young prince lie. A maid's body draped over his small form in an attempt to protect the boy from harm. "Damn the Nifelheim!" Clarus cursed raising his blade into a defensive position. The Lamia spewed fire from its mouth in his direction. From behind Clarus, Regis stood undaunted by this situation. "Clarus, I need you on the defensive" he declared. "Are you sure you have the energy my liege?" Clarus gave the king a concerned look. "My son is in there, I'll have the strength to do anything" he replied._

_Across the way, a group of children hid under the cover of the shrubbery. "I don't wanna go" wept the smallest child, he clung to your hoodie. "We can't stay here Xue, we have to go or the demons will get us" you patted the boy's hair softly to soothe him. "That giant Lamia isn't gonna let us just walk by!" the girl with braids cried out. "I know that Wen! I'll create a diversion and you guys sneak to the gate" you shot back at her. She gave a timid nod in response. "Ren and Sen, you both stay on the lookout at the gate, Wen will lead and the rest are to follow" you ordered. All their small heads nodded without hesitation. "Su and Min, as soon as you enter the gate you are to find a hiding spot and wait for nightfall" you glanced at the two children. "Yes!" they chirped with determined eyes._

_Just as you were about to launch from the trees, Xue cried out. "___! There's a kid in there!" he wailed. Your eyes flickered to the Lamia and sure enough, a small boy, dazed and confused, attempted to free himself. "Bones! Just go already!" you called out before sprinting into the direction of the beast. With its back turned, you created a summoning circle that boosted you into the air. Casting a spell, a circle of green light emerged from your fingertips. "Alexander! Restrain thee!" you shouted. Chains of green light tightened around the Lamia, restricting its movements. You landed near the boy and pulled him from the corpse's protection. "Are you okay?" you asked him, checking his face for injury. The boy just gazed at you, speechless. The buzz of magic caught your attention as transparent weapons manifested on the other side of the Lamia._

_Regis had summoned the armiger and had it aimed at the Lamia. In an instant, the creature was barraged by a plethora of weapons. You and the boy watched in awe as the magical weapons shot through the air. As the monster fell, you realized the soldiers were coming. You gave the boy one last look before taking off, ignoring him when he reached out to you. Just as you made a beeline for the gate, Clarus blocked your path. "Hold up! Yield and do not resist" he ordered. However, you had no intentions of giving yourself up. Summoning another circle, you cleared over the large male and continued to the gate. It wasn't until you had reached the door, a sharp blow to the back of your head sent you to your knees. Before passing out, you saw the children being pushed into a truck._

"And that about sums it up" Clarus concluded. "Dad! did you hit ___?!" Iris fussed. "What? no, Cor was lurking about and sent ___ briefly to the Astrals doorstep" he argued. "If anything, I should know best how to deal with unruly children" he added, causing Iris to smack his arm. "Even so, ___ got one up on you old man" Gladiolus gave an impressed smile. "It wasn't like he'd expect a kid to know magic," you said bashfully. "Ah yes, the king and I were familiar with that magic, I believe your grandmother bested us on several occasions" Clarus rubbed his chin as he spoke. You froze up at his words. "Of course, the magic seal may be repressing more memories the longer it is cast" he continued. "I remember her, not much, but I remember," you said quietly. Clarus smiled, Iris was confused and Gladiolus looked frustrated. "Saga was a great woman, strong, smart, kind and a beauty like no other" he praised. "Dad, you sound like a man in love" Iris teased. "Forgive me, but I am true to my words, even the king held some interest" he sighed. "She must have been quite the looker" Gladiolus added in. "And she knew it, put us boys in our place before we could even flirt with her" Clarus seemed lost in thought as he spoke.

"Thanks, dad I don't need to imagine ___ as my sibling" Gladiolus sneered. "Please, if I had my way, you two would be betrothed" Clarus smirked when Gladiolus eyebrows rose. "H-hey!" you gasped in shock. "I can think of someone better for ___ than Gladdy" Iris snickered smiling at you. "I think I can choose my own happy ending" you huffed. "Just like Saga!" Clarus bellowed. You couldn't help but smile at being compared to Nana. "Hey, guys! the food is going to get cold" Iris scolded you all.

After dinner, Iris had retired to her room while Gladioulus prepared a guest room for you. With the two of them busy, you found the time perfect to seek Clarus out again. "C-clarus" you were still unsure of how to address the man. He looked up from his book, a sign for you to continue. "The children, what happened to the children?" you demanded. "They are safe in Cape Caem, a good friend made sure they would be safe there," he said. You felt relieved by his answer, with a bow you hurried off to the guest room.

"Truly a spitting image of you Saga".


	14. A little teen drama

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is purposely dramatic-teen themed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay m(-_-)m school started and leaves me little time to write. Next chapter begins glaive arc, I promise.

**“All conflict can be traced back to someone’s feelings getting hurt, don’t you think?”--(Liane Moriarty)**

After spending a warm night at the Amiticia household, you had received a rather stressful reminder from Prompto. **[So, wanna come over and try our gowns on?]** he texted with a smiling emoji. **[Our what?]** you replied in haste of your curiosity. **[Our graduation gowns! duh,]** Prompto continued typing before you could reply. **[You didn't forget did you?]** he added. Oh, you forgot, you totally forgot. Your absence from home made you free of the visible reminder hanging on your door that graduation was right around the corner. **[You forgot!]** the sound of Prompto's reply brought you back to your senses. **[Well, can you blame me??? I've had an eventful week!]** you replied ending it with a peach and an eggplant.

It took a few minutes before Prompto replied, **[Oh yeah, sorry]** and a blushing emoji. He wasn't the only one guilty of distracting you. Gladiolus seemed to pull out the stops with Nyx being absent, Ignis was being Ignis and Prompto enjoyed giving you kisses when you were alone.....you know for science. The only person you were seeing less of was Noctis. It just occurred to you that he hadn't texted or called you since you were last over. The guys most likely saw him at some point, if not texted him about something. An empty feeling grew in the pit of our stomach as you began to feel loneliness. You glanced at your gown before going to Noctis's contact. **[Can I stay over tonight?]** you texted him. You put your phone down, it would probably be an hour before he'd reply with him being busy. No sooner did you phone beep at the sound of a reply.

**[Yeah]**

He had replied so quickly, it made you wonder what Noctis was up to. Dismissing the thought, you packed your graduation gown and some clothes to stay the night. The sun was just setting, the perfect time for you to walk over to Nocti's apartment. As you left down the stairs, you wondered if Ignis would be there or if you'd have to make dinner. You stayed distracted in thought, by the time you came back to reality you were in front of the apartment. The guard standing duty looked up you before opening the door. "His highness said you were coming," he said flashing an image of you on his monitor. He handed you an ID card with the word 'visitor' printed on it. "You'll only be able to access the first floor with this card" he clarified as he opened the door for you. The interior was as lavish as you remembered. Mild wallpaper with elaborate lights, vast in comparison to the dark halls of the Citadel.

Down the hall, Noctis waited in the lobby on his phone. You waved to him and he met you halfway. "Have you tried on your gown yet?" you asked. He scowled and led you to the elevator. "Yeah, too big" he replied punching in the numbers. You let an awkward pause pass through before you continued. "I bet Ignis could take it in for you," you said nervously. Noctis hummed in agreement and waited for the door to open. The elevator suddenly felt so small, even though there was plenty of space between you both. When the door opened, Noctis wasted no time heading back to his apartment. You followed behind in haste to catch up to his strides. "Did I catch you at a bad time?" you asked barely catching the door to his apartment. Noctis remained silent, an agitated scowl on his face. "You know if anything is bothering you, I'm here" you placed your hand on his shoulder and squeezed lightly. The corners of his mouth twitched upward slightly before plummeting back down into a frown.

"Nothing is bothering me," he said as he flopped down onto his couch. "Oh please, I can tell when you get pouty," you said as you sat down next to him, setting your bag on the floor. You gently pinched his cheeks for emphasis. "Usually your cheeks puff out and you look at the ground in frustration" he swatted your hand away as you teased him. "F-fine, it's just you seemed to like hanging out with the guys more" he mumbled in a low voice. You felt a smile creep on your face. "Noctis Lucis Caelum! are you jealous?" you laughed. "H-hey!" Noctis yelled as you pounced on him. "You are so jealous! Here I thought you were mad at me" you said into his shirt. You felt his arms wrap around you and hold you to him. "Me? mad at you? please" Noctis sighed. "I've just been training with Gladiolus and Ignis, Prompto recently joined us" you confessed. "Yeah, he wouldn't shut up about you cooking for him" Noctis furrowed his brows as he spoke. "I promise I'll make you something too," you said before he could continue.

"I'll hold you up to that" he laughed in response. He seemed to be debating his next words, but he made up his mind. "He also mentioned something else..." Noctis trailed off. You perked up and egged him on with a grin. "Prompto said he saw another side of you, he wouldn't say anything else" he confessed. You pulled a tight smile as you tried to playoff your shock. "He's probably just messing with you" he didn't look convinced by your response. "Did something happen between you two?" Noctis asked, his arms were tight around your frame as if to keep you from escaping. "Nothing happened! We just talked a lot and ended up falling asleep in his bed" you lied avoiding his eyes. "____" Noctis gave in warning. You sighed before fronting a brave face. "We kissed a few times okay?" you weren't lying, it just wasn't what all had happened that night. "Kissed? are you two dating?" Noctis sat up quickly in a panic, causing you to slip into his lap.

"N-no! Prompto did it at first as a Valentine, then he just kept asking for practice" saying it aloud did seem fishy now that you heard it. "Well, that does sound like him" Noctis cooled down a bit, but he frowned thinking about it. "I still can't say I'm okay with it though" he added. "We don't do it often and especially not in front of you and the guys" you replied. "Is that supposed to make me feel better?" came Noctis's sharp reply. "Sorry, I mean have you ever been kissed before? It feels nice so I can't really blame him..." you admitted. Noctis went quiet for a brief moment. "Noct? You've never...." you began as his cheeks glowed red. "It's not like I have time to be thinking of that" he fumbled out covering his face with his hand. "But you have time to worry about it" you teased tickling his sides. Noctis let out an awkward snort before grabbing your hands, halting your attack.

"Well it is you after all..." he said quietly. You stared up at him in slight confusion before it finally hit you. "Do you want to kiss me too?" you asked quietly. Noctis jumped from under you, he glanced around the room and threw his hands in his face. You barely registered the mumble from under his hands. "Louder, I wanna hear you say it" your hands fisted the front of his shirt as you pulled yourself closer to his face. He withdrew his hands just below his cheeks to breathe out a meek "yes". You gave him a wry smile and pressed your lips to his. Noctis tensed up at first, slowly relaxing and resting his hands back on your waist. His lips eagerly pressed against yours, earning a delighted hum from you. He pulled back slowly, almost reluctantly. "It's warm..." he sighed out.

"Is warm good?" you asked, honestly, you were eager to go again but didn't want to show it. "Warm is really good" Noctis smiled as he dipped into another kiss. This time, he gasped mid-kiss and breathed against you. "I-I forgot to get air..." he sighed against your lips. You had also forgotten amidst your session, providing a split moment where your open mouths met. It wasn't quite like the movies, both sets of teeth ungracefully hit one another and caused you both to recline in shock. "Ow..." you covered your mouth as you pulled back and sat up. Noctis mimicked the same action, a displeased look on his face. "You're really no good at this" you teased, earning a frustrated grunt from him. "I just need more practice" his excuse made you smile. "I'll get you in shape, your highness" you laughed climbing off him. "Yeah, yeah" Noctis stood up and checked his phone. "Specs should be here soon, I should get my stuff" he excused himself and headed for his room. Just as he had left, Umbra scampered in with a journal on his back. Immediately, the small pup came to your feet and jumped onto your legs.

In his excitement, the journal fell off and opened on the floor. You avoided looking at the book, it wasn't your business what was in there, but you couldn't help but glance at the open page. It looked like a recent entry, the words on it made you hold your breath.

_"Not a day goes by that I long to see you, as the nights grow longer I only wish you in my dreams was reality. Your words bide time, but my heart cannot go without you for much longer"_

The page ended there, but you could tell more would've had been written. Umbra seemed to realize you were upset, the puppy whined and tried to bring your attention back to him. His head nudged the journal close, only to cause more pages to flip by. You recognized Noctis handwriting, although brief, his responses were just as heartfelt as the other person he wrote. Each word had your heart constricting in your chest, the air became hard to take in, your mind a mess. You were so out of it, you didn't hear Noctis's footsteps as he returned. "H-hey!" he ran over quickly and swiped the journal from your sight. Umbra now had his head bowed in shame, resting himself on the wood floor with his tail flat. "Why are you looking at this?! I didn- you can't just go around reading my stuff!" he yelled. You flinched at the tone of his voice, he was so loud and upset that it set something off in you. "Since when have you been so defensive with me?! What are you trying to hide Noctis?!" you yelled back in agitation. You both were always upfront with each other, so it made you upset to see him trying to hide something from you. "I'm not hiding anything! I don't have to tell you everything about me!" he yelled back. "I'm not saying you do! Why are you so mad about this? I don't care if you have a girlfriend, but don't play with me if you are seeing someone!" his face fell when you said this, but anger quickly rose back. "She isn't my girlfriend! I just..." he trailed off looking at the journal.

"Just what? you don't know how you feel about her or me? You just want both is that right?" you spat out. You knew what you were saying was too harsh but you couldn't stop, you were very angry. "That's not it!" Noctis argued. "Then what is it Noctis?" you seethed, he looked avoided your glare and sighed out his excuse.

"It's complicated"

You scooped up your bag, stepping over Umbra, and headed to the door. "Figure it out, then you can call me" you growled opening the door and leaving.


	15. Graduation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's graduation day, but you have other problems to deal with.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally chapter 15! I put a lot into this one so we can get to the Glaive arc, I want to get to the beginning of the fall soon in time for episode Ignis.

**"People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered. Love them anyway."** \---(Paradoxical Commandments)

It had been days since you stormed out of Noctis's apartment. He had called you 5 times before eventually giving up. That was 5 voicemails you were too afraid to listen to. Would he be mad still? Would he want to apologize? Your own worries made your phone feel so heavy as if your wrist would snap if you held it any longer. This empty feeling filled your stomach and kept you rooted to the safety of your apartment. An unknown number, which turned out to be Ignis, left a voicemail daily after the times you were supposed to be training. Prompto would leave long texts telling you about his day and hoping you were okay. Occasionally, he'd send a selfie or a picture he took. After a few times, you replied with a smiley face that made him reply instantly with a smiley face.

You had run low on food and stepped out for a bit, only to find Gladiolus stationed outside your door in his training attire. His large frame leaned against the wall, relaxed yet anxious. "Bout time you came out, you look like hell" he chuckled straightening up. "Just what I needed to hear" you sighed turning away and leaving him behind you. In a few strides, he had caught up to you. "I won't ask what happened between you and Noct, but you can't cut us out too" Gladiolus scolded as he fell in line with your steps. "I didn't mean to ignore you guys, I just wanted to be alone for a bit" you confessed. Gladiolus stopped for a moment before shrugging his shoulders. "Fair enough" he grunted, turning away and stalking off. You snatched the back of his hoodie, stopping him in his tracks. He looked at you over his shoulder, a wide smirk on his face.

"Not now, Beefcake" you pouted knowing he was doing it on purpose. "If you'd like, I can stay all night~" he threw his arm around your shoulders. "You know what? I changed my mind" you tried to walk out of his hold, but Gladiolus just followed you. "I'm just kidding, no need to fuzz up" he laughed. He let you go once you arrived at the nearby market. The area was still busy despite it being mid-day. The smoky air burned your nose but you pressed on. "I only need a few things, try not to get lost," you told Gladiolus over the buzz of vendors and customers. "I should be saying that c'mere" Gladiolus's hand captured yours in a gentle embrace. His calloused skin felt rough on yours but was warm nonetheless. You led Gladiolus through the crowd, stopping to pick and barter for your products. Occasionally, Gladiolus would make his own purchase of cigarettes or the like.

"Listen, kid, I can't give ya any more than that" a particularly rude vendor stated. You were no stranger to this meat vendor, usually, Nyx would accompany you specifically so you wouldn't have to speak to him. "But you didn't even measure it, it's way underweight for what your charging" you argued, indicating to his sign. "I do this for a livin' I know wha's what, got it?" he argued back. "I've bought the same thing each time, I am familiar with what you usually give" you could tell you were pushing your luck, but right now you weren't in the mood for his bullshit. "I don't remember' sell'n to a snot-nosed brat like you" he retorted menacingly.

"I say you measure it, wouldn't want to make a scene if you catch my drift" Gladiolus stepped up behind you, towing over you and the vendor. You watched the other man recoil back, broken words coming from his mouth as he fumbled with the bag. "Would you look at that, guess you were right" Gladiolus frowned as the scale proved your accusation to be correct. "I think you might want to fix that bag, and how about you drop the price since you caused us all that trouble?" Gladiolus made sure to add a subtle flex as he spoke. In a panic, the vendor scrambled

"Does that look about right babe?" Gladiolus cast his gaze to you, passing the spotlight. "Yes, that's about right" you beamed. Gladiolus took the bag with a firm grip, giving it to you and guiding you away from the market. "What a pain" Gladiolus sighed, he pulled out a cigarette and a lighter. "At least you use your powers for good" you laughed walking in front of him. He slowed down and raised a brow. "Sorry, didn't know if you..." he lit the cigarette and took a long drag. "It's fine, I don't but sometimes Nyx does" you admitted with a frown. You recalled the time when you asked for a cigarette and he torched the entire package.

"That's good, I only do it on occasion" Gladiolus kept a good pace behind you, leaving plumes of smoke in his wake. "Give me a cigarette" you ordered, holding your hand out. With his free hand, Gladiolus pushed yours back into your chest. "I don't want the entire Glaive out for my ass" he chuckled. You pouted but decided it was pointless to continue. "Well thanks for walking with me, I feel a lot better now" you hurried up the stairs to your floor.

"Hey" Gladiolus spoke in a strict tone. You froze mid-step, you've never heard him talk like that before. "Tomorow is the big day and Iris is gonna be there too; It'd be great if we could all take a picture together" Gladiolus dropped his cigarette and stomped it into the ground. "Yeah, it would" you stated continuing up the stairs. Gladiolus gave you one last look before walking away. It was then he heard you yell from the balcony.

"Wear something nice! Otherwise, I won't take a picture with you!" you shouted to his back. Gladiolus felt a smile creep on his face. He raised his fist as he walked away, signaling his agreement. You watched him go, clutching your bag tightly. Part of you had thought about letting Gladiolous stay the night, but you couldn't bring yourself to rely on him any more than you had. With a sigh, you returned to your shared apartment. The dimly lit space was eerily quiet, the Glaive had still not returned. You put your food away in the fridge and quickly shuffled to your room.  
You searched the floor for your overnight bag. In it lie your gown, now wrinkled from being tossed to the floor. You smoothed it out with your hands before hanging it up.

Tomorrow was the big day, you would graduate. Your mind felt heavy as you worried about the Glaive. Nyx promised the whole group would make it. You believed him, but that didn't stop the worst scenarios from playing in your mind. Each time you called, it went straight to voicemail. Your stomach felt sick from worrying, you lied down on the bed, phone still in hand. Before dozing off, you checked the phone again for any reply. The bright screen forced your eyes shut.

 

* * *

  
You woke up to a surprise. Just as you were leaving the apartment complex, a sleek black car rolled up. The window rolled down to reveal a man dressed in black. "Mr. Scientia requested I give you a ride" he started climbing out and opening the door for you. With a sheepish smile, you lifted your gown and climbed in. Your face burned with embarrassment as the driver passed the other families cars as they dropped of your classmates. You could feel eyes on you as you climbed out, but people talk. You wandered around aimlessly looking for someone you could recognize. "Oh my gosh! ____!" you heard a quirky voice shout. From behind, Iris charged up and hugged you around the waist. "It's so good to see you! Congratulations on graduating!" she cried out, jumping a little. "Damn, let ___ breathe," Gladiolus said as he approached the two of you. He was dressed in black slacks and opened dress shirt. Thankfully, he was wearing something under the dress shirt. Iris let go and stepped back to reveal her black dress. It fit her nicely, lace covered her shoulders and a choker similar to Gladiolus's necklace hugged her throat. Her skirt was mostly tule and short, making her look impossibly cute. "You two look extravagant" you smiled. Iris blushed and Gladiolus scoffed. "Gladdy told me he was wearing this for you" Iris confessed. Gladiolus gave her a quick side eye but didn't deny it. "Anyways, you wouldn't have happened to see Iggy have you?" Gladiolus pressed on. "No, I haven't, Prompto either" you admitted. "What about Noct? I haven't seen him around at all" Iris pouted. There was a strained pause as you shook your head.

"Probably snuck off somewhere for a nap or something, let's find our troublemaker" Gladiolus put his arm around your shoulder and guided you into the school. You felt a knot form in your stomach, you still weren't ready to talk to Noctis. "Hey, you okay?" Gladiolus slowed to a stop, turning to face you. "I'm....afraid, what if Noctis is still mad at me?" you asked. "I doubt he is mad, Noct isn't one for grudges" Gladiolus reassured. You nodded hesitantly. Noctis had gotten upset with you before, but it never escalated into yelling. "S-should I apologize?" you asked Gladiolus, making him scoff. "I find it hard to believe you would do something to anger him on purpose" he exhaled in a deep sigh. "He probably got flustered and didn't want to be honest about it" he continued, taking you by the shoulders and continuing on. "But I may have invaded his privacy" you confessed. "Privacy? you two are joined at the hip! What did you do look at his dick?" Gladiolus chuckled as you puffed your cheeks at him. "I did not! I looked at his diary" you shot back. Now that you said it out loud, it didn't feel like it was such a big deal. "Oh man, a diary? He might actually hate you" Gladiolus continued to heckle you until you both caught sight of Prompto.

"Hey, Prompto! Where's Noct?!" Galdiolus's voice caught the boy by surprise. Nearly tripping over his graduation gown, Prompto backtrack over to the two of you. "Heyas! Feeling any better ___?" Prompto immediately swooped in for a hug, causing Gladiolus to shift to the side. "A little bit, sorry for making you worry" you buried your face into his shoulder, relishing in the warm contact. "I hate to break up the love fest, but we're on a tight schedule" you could hear Prompto groan as Gladiolus tugged the back of his gown. "Yeah, yeah, Ignis should be looking for me about now" Prompto confessed. "Wait until he sees I found you two!" he continued with a cheer. Both you and Gladiolus glanced at each other before saying in unison.

"We found you"

"What Iggy doesn't know won't hurt me" Prompto led the way while you and Gladiolus shook your heads. Down the hallway were classrooms cleared out for students preparations, Propmto made his way to the furthest one with two men standing outside. "'Cuse me fellas" Prompto slipped by the men and opened the door. You followed suit, eyes on the floor. You felt Gladiolus grab your shoulder as you went in. You were greeted by the sight of Ignis combing Noctis's hair. "You should try a more presentable look, you will be an adult after all" Ignis scolded while trimming Noctis's slipt ends. "My hair is fine, chicks dig the bad boy look," Noctis said proudly. "What chicks? Chocobos?" Gladiolus teased, causing Prompto to jump in as well. "Yeah you're 'bad to the bone'" he laughed playfully smacking Noctis's cheek. Ignis stifled his own laughter while he worked.

You hadn't moved from your spot near the door. They looked like they were having fun. You still felt that knot as you looked at Noctis. "How have you been ___?" Ignis's voice brought the boys banter to a halt. Noctis met your eyes, causing you both to freeze up. "F-fine, just a bit tired" you managed to choke out. Noctis looked away first, clearing his throat. By now Gladiolus and Prompto had moved to the side, lounging on the nearby desks. The only sounds in the room were the snipping of scissors and the occasional cough. "All done, would you like me to assist you ___?" Ignis proposed. Before you could decline, you met his eyes and noticed his compelling look. you nodded and let him lead you out of the room.

In the next classroom, Ignis brandished a sewing needle. "Raise your arms so I may see where it needs to be taken in" Ignis ordered. Yod as he said, noticing how long the gown was. "I'll only need to make small adjustments" Ignis clipped the garment and relieved you of it. While you watched him carefully sew, you couldn't help but ask. "Did he tell you?" your voice came out in a weak tone. "No, but only a fool could ignore the obvious distress" Ignis replied curtly. Your face flushed with embarrassment and you looked at the floor. "I didn't mean to look at his diary, I didn't know it was that personal" you admitted shamefully. Ignis arched his brow at your confession. "I take it you read the diary from Lady Lunafreya? It is quite dear to him" Ignis's words didn't make you feel any better. "Is Luna his girlfriend?" you asked nervously. "Luna?" Ignis stopped sewing to look up at you. "I-I mean Lady Lunafreya!" you hadn't realized you referred to her so casually. You only knew Luna from your dreams, you couldn't tell Ignis that.

"No, but they are close" Ignis seemed to drop the subject at that. You let out a sigh of relief and leaned against the wall. "Is there something going on between you and Noct?" Ignis's words made you flush again. "No way! c'mon Iggy!" you laughed. But Ignis's expression said otherwise. "Noct is... quite troublesome" Ignis rose from his seat and walked over. He carried the gown and lifted it over your head. "He can be brash, tactless, and impatient most of the time" Ignis gently brought the garment over your head, allowing you to stick your arms in the sleeves. "But believe me when I say that he cares about you in a way much different from the rest of us" Ignis continued. You looked up at him hopefully, wanting him to elaborate. "You both are very similar in a way that makes it easy for Noctis to relate to" Ignis smiled sadly as he looked at you. "However mad he seemed, I strongly believe he wants nothing more than to apologize to you" Ignis stepped back and allowed you to look yourself over. The gown no longer gathered at your feet, resting just before the ankles.

"I think I need time to figure out what to say, I have to apologize too" you replied. Ignis nodded and walked over to the door. "Now, I do believe it is time for you to graduate" he held the door for you and motioned for you to lead. Head held high, you allowed Ignis to escort you out.

 

* * *

 

The gymnasium was packed full of people. Students and their families split off into those in gowns and those in formal wear. As the ceremony progressed, you noticed Ignis was seated over in a secluded area near the Regis himself. Gladiolus and Iris were seated near him as well. You felt your stomach drop. You suddenly felt alone, the glaive hadn't shown. Tears pricked at your eyes as rows of students began their walk. You felt a hand grab yours, Prompto flashed you a grin. "No tears till we after the picture okay?" he gave you a reassuring squeeze. You nodded and stood with him. Noctis was on the other side of Prompto, you still hadn't said anything to him. As you neared the stage, you barely heard the murmur from the families over the music and cheers. Your name was called and you climbed onto the stage. In that moment, that's when you heard.

"Congratulations _____!" "That's our rookie!" "Way to go!"

A cacophony of cheers came from the back of the gymnasium. You turned your head to the entrance to see more than you hoped for. Dressed messily in formal wear and covered in injuries. The Glaive bellowed and cheered, holding a hand-stitched banner with your name on it. Even Drautos had come, wearing a wry smile. You took the certificate and ran to the edge of the stage. The crowd lost it as you jumped off and made a beeline for the back. Nyx dropped the banner and scooped you into a hug. Crowe and Libertus joined in as well. Plena and Tredd held the banner, wearing proud smiles. Luche took pictures as you and Crowe sobbed your eyes out. Libertus furiously wiped at his face, claiming he wasn't crying.

The ceremony continued, leaving you to the Glaive. "What took you so long?!" you cried out, pushing Nyx in the chest. "I'm sorry, we ran into a little trouble" Nyx sighed. "Little? more like a colossal!" Luche complained. "And your phone?" you continued to press him. "In the stomach of a very pissed off demon," he replied. "You brought a phone into battle?" Drautos asked crossly. "Anyways! we made it like I promised" Nyx waved off the smirks and 'awwws'. Just as you were going to pry on Nyx again, Iris came up to you. "Hey ___? Can we steal you for a picture?" she asked. You looked at Nyx and he gave you a nod. "I'm not going anywhere, go on" he waved you off and Iris took your hand. "You got to stand next to me!" she cheered. As you got closer to the group Prompto waved you over. "I call dibs on being next to ____," he said, slinking over next to you. "Sorry but short people up front" Gladiolus gave Prompto a push away from you. "I do believe we should let ____ decided where to stand," Ignis said thoughtfully, although he stood close on your other side. You couldn't help but smile as they bantered over the positions for the photo. "I want to stand next to ____" Noctis spoke up. Everyone looked at him, wearing small smiles on their faces. "Well, I guess since it is your special day" Gladiolus shrugged. "Good choice Noct" Ignis pushed up his glasses in an attempt to hide his amusement. "Well I get the other side, it's my day too" Prompto argued.

Nonetheless, you all gathered for a photo. Prompto pulled you into a hug, prompting Noctis to throw his arm around you too. "Say fuzzy pickles!" said the photographer.

"Fuzzy pickles!"


	16. To inherit what was lost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader is reunited with Alexander and officially a member of the Glaive. In the next chapter: First mission flukes!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright kupo! So I am gonna be crunching to get to the Fall of Insomnia. Updates will be every 3 days give or take (depends when I am able to post it). I'm hyped up from Episode Ignis! I just want to write Ignis fics T^T.

**"Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can."---(Arthur Ashe)**

After the ceremony, you had departed with the Glaive to celebrate. You were too caught up in the moment to consider if the others had plans, Prompto had texted you and assured you it was fine. Drauto had excused himself from the event. "Someone has to file a report, you all enjoy yourselves" he proclaimed. There were no objections as the festivities began. Axis and Sonitus showed up later, you had learned that Axis had suffered a great injury while deployed. Both apologized for being absent, but you reassured them it was fine. The apartment complex was alive with cheer as the glaive congratulated you. "Come on! We've got something to show you!" Crowe laughed as she tugged you outside. Pelna and Libertus stood in front of an object covered by a large cloth. Tredd held a body bag and Luche had a small box. Nyx was already outside, waiting for you. "So what is it?" you asked, earning big grins from all of them.

"Well you're finally an adult, now it's time to start acting like one" Luche announced. "We know how left out you've felt, so it time to let you join in" Pelna added in. Tredd walked up to you and unzipped the bag. "Welcome to the Glaive" he passed along the uniform, letting the weight rest in your hands. "No way, you're kidding!" you jumped for joy, nearly dropping the uniform. "Way" Luche handed you the box, prompting Tredd to hold the uniform for you. In the box, you found the COMM system headgear the Glaives usually wore into battle. You eagerly lifted said gear and began to try it on. "Slow down, we haven't even gotten to the best part yet" Crowe giggled, causing you to flush with embarrassment. You removed the gear and put it back into the box. Crow motioned for Plena and Libertus to remove the cloth. Underneath it stood a sleek motorcycle. The base color was a midnight blue, nearly appearing black, with silver lining on the edges. Your jaw dropped as you looked it over. "B-but I don't know how..." you began in shock. "Don't worry, I'll teach you" Crowe reassured you with a grin. You hugged her tightly, thankful for her kindness. "Just don't get yourself hurt" Nyx nagged. Libertus and Plena shifted the motorcycle into neutral and rolled it into the nearby garage. Tredd and Luche took your Kinglaive uniform back to Nyx's apartment, leaving you with Nyx.

"I still can't believe this!" you jumped excitedly while bragging about your gifts. "You earned it, what's not to believe?" Nyx patted you on the head, ending your happy fit. "Still, it feels like a dream" your cheeks hurt from smiling so much. You knew the Glaive didn't get paid very much. To give you such a luxurious gift took a lot of "teamwork" on their part. "Anyways, let's head on in before everyone starts drinking without us," Nyx said leading the way. He took a few steps before turning back to you. "Not a single drop is allowed to touch those lips," he said sternly. You puffed your cheeks at him but withheld any arguments.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next morning felt like a brand new day. You woke up with a spring in your step as you paraded around the apartment. You began to make breakfast as quietly as possible. Nyx was still sound asleep, but you knew he would wake soon with a minor hangover. You started to hum a tune as you oiled the pan in a circular motion. Ignis's word came back to you, directing you just as when you stayed at his place. You felt your cheeks flush at the memory of his hands over yours. He would carefully guide you through fluid motions to make clean cuts. As you daydreamed, a groggy yawn came from the hallway. "___? you up already?" Nyx stumbled in, still sleepy but motivated by hunger. "Yeah" your half-assed reply made Nyx walk over and pull you into a hug. "Where'd all that energy from yesterday go?" he chuckled. "I'm saving it for when I get to ride Odin" you shook him off so you could plate the eggs. "Who?" Nyx cocked his head in confusion. "My new ride, you gotta name it something cool" you explained. Nyx shrugged and sat down at the table. While you brought the toast over, Nyx spoke up. "We need to go to the Citadel today, his Majesty summoned you" Nyx explained. You nodded solemnly, you had expected King Regis would want to speak with you now that you were part of the Glaive.

"Don't worry, I'll be with you the whole time" Nyx reassured you with a smile. Your heart swelled with warmth. It had felt like he'd been gone a whole year and you were seeing him for the first time. "Can I wear my uniform?" you hummed in a low voice. Nyx rolled his eyes but nodded anyway. You happily sped through breakfast with both excitement and stress. The last time you met Regis, it was a stressful situation. Immigrants were hardly welcome in Lucis, let alone ones from a fallen tribe. The High council made sure you were aware of how 'grateful' you should be, it always made you nervous to return back to the Citadel. Having Nyx, Ignis, or Gladio with you made it easier to take the hard stares. Even now as Nyx pulled into the Citadel, your palms felt sweaty. The guards quickly dismissed you both at the sight of your uniforms. This allowed Nyx to show you to the throne room. "Remember, deep breathes okay?" Nyx gave you a quick glance before nodding to the sentries. They opened the door slowly, producing a loud creaking noise that echoed cut the silence. Looking into the room, the light illuminated the room through the grand windows. The long steps graced your vision, prompting your eyes to follow them up to the throne.

There on the throne sat King Regis, with Clarus by his side. You stopped when your eyes met, quickly finding the floor to be interesting. Nyx gave you a small push forward, falling into step with you. Nyx stopped and kneeled, giving you a sign to do the same. "Rise, I am delighted you were able to come"Regis' voice echoed through the room. "Congratulations on graduating young ___, I hope my son did not cause you much trouble" Regis chuckled with a kind smile. "N-no not at all sir- I mean your majesty!" your panicked reply earned a chuckle from Clarus and a cough from Nyx. "Relax, I mean not to intimidate you" he continued. Your cheeks felt hot with embarrassment, your legs urged you to run and find the nearest closet to hide in. "Do you recall what happened before you came to Lucis?" Regis asked. You shook your head, it was true you had no recollection other than vivid images. "That was the work of my magic, it was imperative for you to adapt to life here in Lucis" he continued. "But that all comes to an end now" Regis stood up carefully, rejecting Clarus's assistance. With his cane, Regis stepped down to the ground level where Nyx and you stood. "You have grown into a strong warrior and now it is time to return what is rightfully yours" Regis removed an object from his pocket. It resembled a bangle with obscure carvings in a language you didn't recognize. It exhibited light green glow, revealing the bits of crystal synthesized within the metal. "Behold the arms of Alexander" Regis gently took your hand and placed the bangle on your palm. A surge of energy overcame you and resonated with your soul. A voice spoke to you from inside:

_"Reunited once again child..."_

You jolted slightly, causing Regis to shift into a worried look. "Are you alright?" he asked. "Y-yes, I'm fine" you looked back down to see the bangle slowly dissipate and reappear on your left arm. "Okay I take that back" you squeaked examining the bangle. It had formed to fit snug on your arm, unable to go over your wrist or lower on your forearm. "Fear not, it is standard for the relic to adjust to its wielder" Regis reassured you placing his hand on your shoulder. You nodded, understanding but still feeling uneasy. "You've come a long way, Saga would be proud of you" he continued. "My memories, will they come back?" you pleaded. "Slowly, the seal will wear off with Alexander back in your possession" he explained. "Once you have regained your memories, you will have to forge a covenant once again with Alexander in order to be the Seer of Eos" he continued. "The Seer of Eos? was that what Nana Saga was?" you inquired. Regis nodded, allowing Clarus to step forward. "The Seer of Eos acts as a proxy for the Astrals to the Oracle of Tenebrae and the King of Lucis" Clarus explained. You blinked in confusion, glancing back at the bangle again. "I don't get it" you confessed bashfully. "The Seer is directly connected to the Astrals and are able to communicate with them, think of it like being a messenger of the gods" Clarus simplified it.

"But aren't the King and the Oracle able to do that?" Nyx spoke up, seemingly frustrated with the situation. "We are, but it takes most of our strength to do so" Regis sighed. "Besides, in these troubling times with the Oracle being rushed into succession and the King preoccupied with putting off a war, the Seer is more than needed" Clarus expression twisted into a bitter one. You swallowed and glanced at Nyx, he was looking at you as well. "I swear to uphold the responsibilities of the Seer, I swear to guide the King of Lucis and the Oracle and I swear to protect all of Eos," you said with conviction. Regis and Clarus shared delighted looks, however, Nyx remained displeased by the results. You were both dismissed from the throne room, the sentries watching you carefully as you left. Nyx started a quick pace, leaving you to break a stride to catch up. "Hey! what's eating at you?" he stopped abruptly, causing you to run into his back. "You're awfully calm about this, when I was told to bring you I didn't expect that to happen," Nyx said bitterly. "What do you mean?" your eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "Being in the Glaive is one thing, but making you responsible for all of Eos? That is going too far!" Nyx slewed his arm against a nearby pillar. "Easy, I'm not so keen on the idea either" you coaxed Nyx to keep his voice down. "I just don't want anything to happen to you, this just makes you more of a target" he gritted his teeth in frustration. You took hold of Nyx's hand and held it tightly. "I'll be fine, we'll be fine as long as we stick together" you reassured him. Nyx nodded before pulling you into a hug. Your heart felt like it was slowly being twisted, would everything really be fine?


	17. First Mission Fluke

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First mission fluke! Since when have you been a Zu rider?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for posting so late!

**"Just remember, once you're over the hill you begin to pick up speed."---(Arthur Schopenhauer)**

It had been a quiet ride back from the Citadel. Nyx had calmed down but you could tell he was still frustrated by the turn of events. You gently caressed the bangle, feeling magic course through your body. "So, where to now?" you asked carefully. "To the training grounds, we need to brief you on the next mission" Nyx explained. You felt a rush of excitement. "Another mission? so soon? and I get to go!?" you exclaimed excitably. Nyx gave you a stern look and you calmed down immediately. "This is serious, you need to be focused and stick to your orders" Nyx had a harsh turn into the unleveled ground leading to the training grounds. "Sorry..." you stayed quiet until the car came to a stop. You and Nyx stepped out and walked up to the fallen ruins that were now reshaped into a training course. Your eyes scaled the tall structures used for warp-strike practice. "Hey Nyx, can I warp now?" you asked eagerly. "Nope, you are a Glaive but it will be a while before you can use magic" Nyx smiled when you groaned in frustration. "Once Prince Noctis ascends to King, you'll get your warping rights" Nyx chuckled. You pressed your lips into a thin line. It was hard to imagine Noctis as a king. "Good things come to those who wait I guess" you threw your arms up in defeat and followed Nyx into the building.

The rest of the Glaive was waiting inside. As you both approached, Drautos looked up and called to the rest. "Fall into line, it's time for briefing" he boomed. Everyone scrambled into position, standing at attention with arms behind their backs. You mimicked the stance, earning an impressed glance from Drautos. "First day and already in the swing of it, good ___" he praised before quickly shifting back into his captain attitude. "As you know, the Niflheim has been active as of late" as Drautos spoke, he turned on a monitor displaying video footage of enormous airships and armored soldiers destroying small towns. "Their reach is coming dangerously close to the borders of Lucis, should they overstep that border then it means war" he continued. "We are to prevent that, today will be strictly on a reconnaissance mission" you did your best to remain calm at this statement. This meant being up close to Magiteks and demons. "Do not engage, if the enemy attacks you are to fall back immediately and report a retreat" Drautos seemed to be saying this directly to you and Nyx. You were aware of Nyx's tendencies to diverge from orders to help comrades, you had a feeling Drautos was expecting the same from you. "We deploy at 1300 hours, be ready at the West gate for assignments, For hearth and home" Drautos performed the custom Glaive creed. "For hearth and home," you all had echoed back.

"Dismissed" Drautos calmly walked out. Once he was out of range, everyone let out a sigh and relaxed. Everyone suddenly rushed you and Nyx. "____, if you're feeling nervous you don't have to come with us so soon" Crowe cautioned. "Hey ____, team up with me and I'll show you how to break into an airship" Tredd bargained. "Please, I can mentor you in more useful techniques" Luche clicked his tongue at Tredd. "You lot will just get ___ killed, stick with me" Libertus argued. You backed away slowly as everyone began arguing over who could mentor you best. Nyx cleared his throat and everyone hushed their complaints. "I think I should mentor ___" Nyx proclaimed. There were a few snickers and hushed groans. "We don't need another troublemaker" Luche affirmed. "I think he'll be more responsible with ____ there with him" Crowe argued. Libertus's face showed mixed feelings about it, but he made no arguments. Nyx was adamant about keeping watch over you, which came of no surprise to you. "Just don't get ___ killed," Sonitus said. Axis nodded in agreement. "K-killed?" you gulped. Nyx cast Sonitus a quick glare before patting your shoulder. "Don't worry, I will protect you" Nyx promised. You nodded solemnly and followed him over to the armory. "We need to gear you up, see anything you like?" he asked. You glanced around and noticed the weapons were similar in design, nothing sticking out in particular. "I'd recommend daggers for the squirt" Libertus called out. Your cheeks flushed red and you grabbed a polearm. "What about this?" you twirled the weapons in your grasp. "You might want to consider something that won't toss you around," Luche said as he gently took the polearm from you. The greatsword was removed from sight before you make an argument.

By now you were peeved as they continued to baby you. "Nyx! what do you use?!" you shouted in irritation. Nyx's lips curved into a smile. "Kukuris" he smirked as you accepted your defeat. "Give me the damn daggers" you spat as Libertus provided you a basic set. "You'll need these since you can't use magic yet" Tredd handed you a bag of potions and elixirs. You accepted them with a frown. "I still don't get why I can't just be sworn in under the King" you sighed. "It was agreed by the captain and the King to have you sworn in under the princes' reign,"Nyx said quickly. He gave you a look that told you to drop the conversation. "Anyways, we better head out before were late" Luche led the way out. The rest followed behind, murmuring about the mission. You stopped Nyx, making sure no one else was in earshot. "What about this thing?" you flashed him the bangle, emitting a green light. "If it starts to bother you, just let me know" Nyx hurried you along. It was a silent agreement that you were not to disclose your bangle to the rest of the glaive. It made your stomach turn that you were keeping a secret from them. Nyx had assured you that it was better this way. But you couldn't understand why.

As your all lined up before the iron trucks, Drautos walked up to you. "I trust you won't make any reckless choices as you mentor does" his face was serious despite the amusement in his voice. You nodded, the anxiety returned as everyone jumped into the back of the trucks. It was a long ride outside of Insomnia. Through the slit windows, you could make out some of the terrains. Large green fields, far off mountains, and lakes painted a true naturalistic feeling in you. The trucks veered away from the fields and headed for the West, in the direction of a valley. "Where are we going?" you asked with child-like curiosity. "Zephyr Valley also called the breath of the gods" Crowe explained. "There is a lot more to the world than the walls of Insomnia" Libertus' wistful tone of voice only piqued your curiosity. "How much of the world is Lucis?" you asked aloud. "A lot" Tredd raised his hands up in exaggeration. "A lot is something you park your car in, it's a kingdom ____" Luche snickered out. You shot Luche a small glare and looked back out the window. There were no large cities, no towers, and no guards. You could make out small villages in the distance and some obscure animal. It was the complete opposite of Insomnia. You quickly thought back to your dreams. The ruins by the sea, the glowing chamber, the chapel, and Nana.

The trucks came to a hard stop, forcing you into Nyx's shoulder with a squeak of surprise. "Look alive! the winds are stronger than usual today" Drautos roared over the wind. You had to hold down your hood as you left the truck. Libertus jumped out and his face twisted in disgust. "Breath of the gods?! someone ought to give them a mint!" he complained loudly. You stifled your laughter as a putrid smell invaded your senses. "It's most likely because of fighting, the animals are hiding away in the valley" Crowe warned. Drautos nodded in agreement, a sourness taking over his face. "We need to be extra careful not to agitate a pack" he motioned for everyone to activate their COMM systems. The wind made it difficult to hear, but it was an improvement over yelling. "Nyx and ___, you two are to head to the heart of the valley" Drautos's voice boomed over the COMM. You both nodded and ran off. The wind made it difficult to navigate, but Nyx directed you around the structure. At the heart of the valley was a large basin, the wind was lighter here. You and Nyx hid in a small cavern using binoculars to scout the place out. "All clear" Nyx reported in, you echoing the same observation. The smooth and dusty rocks made it a challenge not to slip to certain death. You scaled around the walls to get a better look at the basin. "____, stay close" Nyx warned as he watched you descend down the rocks. "I will, I just thought I hear-"

You were cut off as your foot slipped. You tumbled roughly against the rock to a lower platform. Your head was spinning, your body felt sore, and you were sure you had bruised your arms protecting your head. "___!" Nyx hissed. You groaned as you opened your eyes, the dust clouding the area from your 'graceful' fall. As the dust cleared, you pulled yourself into a sitting position. Looking to your left, you saw a large metallic airship docked on the plateau you were on. "Nyx...we have a problem" you coughed out. You crawled over to the wall in an attempt to hide. "Nyx?" you called out again in a quiet voice. There was a clunking sound and you turned around. Your eyes met glowing red eyes hidden in a metallic mask.

"Scratch that, we have a situation"

In a miraculous attempt, you thrust your dagger into the junction of the neck of the Magitek soldier. You quickly kicked it over the edge before it could release its hellish cry. You heard cautious footsteps and held your daggers tightly. When the footsteps began to come around the corner, you lunged at the stranger. Your daggers clashed against familiar Kukuris. "___, it's me" Nyx hissed drawing back his weapons. You did the same, feeling the adrenaline rush subdued in you. "We've got Imperials" you warned, Nyx nodded and led you over to a hidden crevice. "We need to order a retreat, gods know what the Imperials are doing here" Nyx cursed activating his COMM. "Imperials spotted near the heart of the valley, we're ordering a retreat" Nyx called into the COMM. You stood as a lookout in case of any other Magiteks when you noticed another airship. "Hey Nyx, look over there" you tugged him by the arm to gain his attention. Near the center of the Basin, Magitek soldiers and mechas were attempting to herd a Zu into the airship. However, the large creature screeched and used it's powerful wings to attack the soldiers. It released a loud and painful cry, causing both you and Nyx to cover your ears. Wyverns rose from the holes in the valleys, becoming a horde in the air. They swooped down and plucked Magiteks from the ground. Once high in the sky, they dropped them to their demise.

"We need to get out of here without getting caught by those Wyverns" Nyx readied his blades as the horde moved closer to your hiding spot. Your mind raced with fear at the thought of one of the Wyverns catching you. Nyx could warp out of their grasp, but you didn't have any backup plans. Before either of you could move, the Zu had taken flight and was approaching fast. "I have an idea!" you exclaimed, grabbing Nyx's arm you led him to the edge. "I'll jump and you just warp to the Zu" you yelled. "That's fucking crazy ____!" Nyx argued. The wind grew stronger as the Zu's wings beat. "No time!" you mustered all your strength into leaping off the edge. Nyx threw one of his Kukuri in the same direction. You reached out for the blade just in time for Nx to warp and catch you. Both bodies collided with the Zu's feathery body, clutching the feathers. "I can't believe that worked!" you began crying a little out of joy. "What?!" Nyx shouted back. The Wyverns that flew past ignored you both in fear of the Zu. A few moments later, your COMM device buzzed. "Nyx! ___! come in!" Drautos's voice was barely audible over the static. "Where are you lot?" Libertus's voice wavered slightly with worry. "Nevermind them! look out for the Zu!" you could hear Luche warn.

The Zu flew over the rendezvous point, prompting Nyx to grab you and jump off. He warped you both to a lower area and you both tumbled against the dusty rock. Drautos and Crow rushed over, rolling you both on your backs. "Were you just riding a Zu?" Crowe asked in astonishment. "What happened? I told you not to startle the pack" Darutos lectured the both of you. "The Imperials were trying to capture the Zu, but it got away" you explained. "They are probably still here, we need to gain some distance" Nyx warned. Drautos didn't argue, he ordered for everyone to pack up and relocate to the East. You felt a shift in the air, suddenly everyone seemed tense. It worried you since they were used to dealing with the Imperial army. Perhaps it would be best not to ask.


	18. A Series of 'Firsts'

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First time~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So my PC decided to update and destroy itself and I was without a PC for a few weeks. I apologize for the delay, I will compensate the missed updates with more content! OTL

**You look cold. Want to use me as a blanket?**

Drautos had ordered us to set up camp in the area outside of Zephyr Valley. Everyone seemed on edge, leaving you in the dark about something involving the Empire. You kept quiet and helped pitch up the tents, everyone seemed like they were in a sour mood. Once a meal was prepared, mostly on your part, everyone seemed to lighten up a bit. "Drautos had excused himself, no sooner had he left did the Glaives begin gossiping. "I can't believe it's true" Tredd sighed. Axis wore a look of sorrow and Libertus looked irritated. "Could someone fill me in here?" you asked in frustration. Everyone shared warry glances before reaching a silent agreement. "Word is that the Empire has been running experiments on wildlife" Crowe explained. "The bastards fill 'em up with something nasty and then release them on the innocent" Libertus's concluded. "The innocent outside of Insomnia that is" Luche spat. A silence overcame the group. No one argued with Luche's statement but no one was ready to jump in agreement with it. "We all know how nasty the Empire is, in or outside Insomnia, everyone is in danger" Nyx spoke up.

You relaxed after hearing him say this. It was no secret that the villages outside of Insomnia were at more risk than the civilians. Since you were first under the Glaives' care, you were aware of the animosity that stemmed from lack of protection outside of the city. The Glaive consisted of immigrants who lived from outside Insomnia. Because you didn't remember life outside of Insomnia, you couldn't sympathize with the others. "That's awful..." you muttered in a low voice. The others picked up on the sudden drop in your mood. Tredd gave Luch a rough shove, causing the latter to hiss in pain. "Even so, I can't be mad when I'm eating ____'s amazing cooking!" Luche did his best to sound cheerful. Picking up on it, Libertus nodded eagerly. "Brings a smile to my face" he agreed. Crowe smiled and pulled you into a hug. "You guys are so silly" she laughed. You cocked your head to the side in confusion. "Stop treating me like a child guys, I can handle it" you fumed. "Look at that, the rebellious stage has set in" Nyx teased, simply to spite you. "We just don't like to see you so upset is all" Crowe admitted. They all nodded in agreement. "You always kept us in high spirits, so we shouldn't bring yours down" Plena confessed. Nyx turned to you with a confident smirk. "I don't ever want you to lose that smile," he said.

You felt your cheeks grow hot. You couldn't find words to reply with so you just covered your face with your hands. "Ack! you guys are embarrassing!" you groaned. "That's enough Lipservice from you, Nyx" Tredd chuckled. Nyx let out a devilish laugh and patted you on the head. Everyone began to clean up shortly after, taking their time with reporting to their tents. You were sharing yours with Nyx, not that you had minded. You both shared a living space together for so long, any awkward moments had already come and passed. You had already undressed in the tent down to your sleeping attire. You laid out on the futon, claiming a good amount of the bedding for yourself. Nyx entered in shortly after, yawning loudly. His eyes fell on your form, scowling as he shook his head. "Nu-uh, we have to share you little shit" he reprimanded. You stuck your tongue out and shuffled over slightly. Nyx let out an exhausted sigh before scooping you up and adjusting your position. His larger body took up most of the area, leaving you on the edge, clinging to his chest.

"H-hey! my ass is falling off the futon!" you cried out. Nyx's hand scooped your backside, pushing you flush against him."What ass?" he snickered. Your hands balled into fists and beat on his chest repeatedly "You prick!" you hissed. Nyx began laughing while you tried to push him over. After a while, you gave up on moving him and decided to get comfortable. Unfortunately, Nyx's hadn't moved at all and you realized just how close you both were. "Hey, Nyx?" you mumbled in a low voice. He grunted in response but made no movements. "You gonna let go of my ass anytime soon?" you tried your best to look annoyed but you couldn't help the flush on your cheeks. It didn't help when his fingers slowly added pressure to his grip. "Let me think about it" despite his words, Nyx's body language told you otherwise. One of his legs shifted to settle between yours. You let out a small growl of irritation and carefully climbed on top of him. Straddling him, you pouted at his aloof attitude. "Aren't you a criminal? preying on a young one" you snickered. "I'm not that old!" he hissed, giving you a rough spank. It was true, Nyx was only your senior by 4 years. "It's not like you make it easy, always clinging to me half-dressed" Nyx let out a low whistle and tugged at your sleeping attire.

"You were the one holding me!" you snapped back, earning another swift spank. "You could've broken away at any time" Nyx shot you a teasing grin. In the midst of your banter, you could feel a hard object prodding your ass. "Are you really getting hard right now?" your lips pressed into a thin line at the observation. You tried to readjust yourself, but Nyx's grasp on your rear kept you in place right over his crotch. "Any man in this position would have the same reaction" Nyx sighed. He let go of you and ushered you off him. "I'll take care of it, you should need to get to sleep" Nyx rose into a sitting position, with you comfortably on his lap. "W-what if I wanted to help?" you placed your hands on his chest, attempting to push him back down. A flash of amusement danced across Nyx's face, he quickly replaced it with a stern expression. "No way, I can't make you do that" he argued, his hands circled your wrists to remove your hands. "Then let me" you resisted, you planted yourself firmly on him. Nyx let out a low groan, reminding you of the growing object underneath you. "You're dead set on this huh?" Nyx sighed, he looked conflicted but made no more arguments. You nodded in response, feeling your stomach flutter with nervousness.

Nyx's hand left your ass and gently cupped the side of your face. "I need you to tell me to stop if you get scared" Nyx reaffirmed his warry feelings toward the sinful act. You nodded in agreement, unsure as to what would unfold. Nyx had ushered you to turn around, your back to him while remaining on his lap. "We'll have to be quiet, the captain has the ears of a Coeurl mother" he whispered. Still ignorant of Nyx's plan, you agreed nonetheless. His hand moved to your sleeping shorts, sliding beneath the fabric and touching you directly. His fingers teased the area around your opening, only grazing your insides. "Nyx!" you hissed covering your mouth with one hand and clutching his leg with the other. "Shhh, it's only fair I work you up too" he divulged in a sultry tone. You couldn't argue, the only sounds that made it past your lips were gasps and choked cries. Your hand was pressing against your mouth so hard it hurt. However, you reminded yourself it was necessary. When Nyx's fingers entered you, a small squeak escaped you. "Shhh, easy their rookie" Nyx shushed you. His fingers dipped into the knuckle, stretching you much further than Gladiolus had. You could feel saliva pool in your mouth as you suppressed your needy panting. His free hand slipped under your shirt, quickly locating your chest. His rough hand focused on your nipple and teased it relentlessly. You let out a silent cry, making you wonder if he was being gentle or was that all a ruse? Either way, you were beginning to have doubts about being able to 'handle' him.

"It's so tight here, I might not fit" Nyx marveled. You swallowed hard, trying to keep your voice down. "Are you sure you want to go all the way?" his velvety voice made you shiver against him. "I-I can take it" you choked out. Nyx's fingers quickly left your entrance and lifted you barely off his lap. You felt anxious at the empty feeling that came with the absence of his fingers. A longing sense to be filled echoed throughout your body. Nyx had tugged his bottom down enough to free his raging hard-on, the swollen tip grazing you as it sprung from its confines. Nyx had positioned your legs to rest you into a kneeling position with either leg at his waist. "Gonna ease right in here, just breathe" Nyx coached you as he lined himself up with you. The tip pressed against you and you flinched. It felt hot and hard against you sensitive and stretched skin. "N-nyx..." you sighed out as he lowered you down on him. There was a sharp pain as the tip entered you. "W-wait!" you gasped out. Nyx halted his movements, still partially sheathed inside you. "Do you want to stop?" Nyx whispered into your ear. Your breathing was shallow, your heart was beating a mile a minute, and your legs quivered with anticipation. "Just let me breathe" you sighed out as you tried to calm down. Right now your mind was focused on the feeling of his dick inside you and that was not helping you ease into this.

As you were trying to find some grace, you tunned into Nyx's ragged breathing. It dawned on you that he was most likely holding back from ramming into you with abandon. "Just go slowly, please" you murmured out trying to lower yourself onto Nyx. "Gotcha" Nyx groaned out as he lowered you. The hard intruder spread you open at a painfully slow rate. Your breath hitched in your throat and you let out soft whimpers as you took him in. He hadn't stopped till he was halfway inside, leaving you both a panting mess. "That's good, you're taking me so well" he sighed against your neck. You felt Nyx raise your hips, pulling you off him slightly. "N-no, I don't want you to leave!" you hissed in a panic. "Shhh I'm not going anywhere" he promised continuing to lift you up. Just before the tip left you, he pulled you back down slowly. He continued this slow pace until you spoke up again. "N-nyx, a bit faster..." you begged. "My, my, aren't you demanding" he chuckled speeding up his pace. By now you could hear the sinful slick noise of his dick pushing into you. The sound mixed well with your muffled moans and Nyx's restricted groans. You could only hope no one else was awake to hear your debauchery. You felt that coil tightens in your lower abdomen, warning you of your impending release. "N-nyx..." you whined clutching his thigh in a vice grip. He took a hint and lifted you off him. Before you could argue, his fingers delved inside you to finish you off. You ended up moaning loudly into the futon. His finger moved fast, pushing you into a rough climax. As you caught your breath, you could hear Nyx groaning as he finished himself with his hand.

You watched as his hand moved furiously along his shaft. His face burned a feverish red as he kept himself in check. It wasn't long before thick ropes of sticky fluid erupted from the burning tip. Nyx let out an exhausted sigh as he fell back next to you. He dropped his arm around you and pulled you in close. "Better get some shut eye, we have to be up early" he yawned closing his eyes. You watched his profile as he relaxed, your mind still a mess. But somewhere deep inside you

You felt warm.


	19. Infiltration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tredd, Pelna, and you infiltrate a base. But what will you find?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you haven't already found out, I have a sub-series of drabbles made with ideas that were scrapped for this story. Just small stories that may not have fit in or would take too much time.

**"For every good reason there is to lie, there is a better reason to tell the truth."---(Bo Bennett)  
**

_You were running, that was what you were sure of. Everything was too dark to make out and the terrain didn't feel familiar. Wherever you were, it was not safe. You could hear heavy breathing and the thunderous pounding of something in pursuit of you. By the sounds of it, you definitely did not want to find out what it was. The path was free of obstructions despite being dark. This only made you more uneasy, it felt like a trap. Another loud growl behind you was a reminder that the alternative was no better. The ground below became wet and muddy with a substance you couldn't determine. There was no smell, just squishy puddles of some unfamiliar ooze. Your lungs hurt from running so much and your legs ached, but you couldn't stop. Eventually, the sounds had ceased behind you and you gradually slowed to a moderate pace. The floor became more solid and you found yourself hitting a wall. Your stomach twisted in panic and you felt a cool breeze on your neck. No, this can't be a dead end! Your palms beat across the wall desperately in hopes of finding a door or secret passage of some sort. To no avail did you find the escape you needed. Well, at least you were no longer being-_

_A shrill shriek echoed back down the way you had come._

_Tears formed in the corners of your eyes. The creature was still nearby, it had never really left. You became more frantic in your search for some sort of escape. Footsteps echoed, someone was walking in a casual stroll. You tried jumping and reaching for a way to climb over, but the wall seemed to be bare. Your mind raced with thoughts to fight, hide, or scream. All didn't yield to a good end for you. You held your breath once the footsteps had ceased. You braced against the wall waiting for anything. What you hadn't expected was a slimy hand curling it fingers under your chin. Nor the sultry voice that came from the owner._

_"Found you~"_

* * *

 

You woke with a start, pushing at the arm wrapped around your waist. You heard a groan and you peeked over at a frustrated Nyx. "I get it, no cuddling" he grumbled sitting up. It was still dark out, you couldn't tell if it was still night or early. "Sorry, what time is it?" you asked carefully. Nyx picked up his watch and raised his brows. "About 5 AM, the sun isn't even out yet" he yawned. Outside the tent you could tell it was still dark out, the fluorescent lights around camp were still visible. You could hear the quiet bustle of others rising from their sleep to prepare for today's work. "You have a nightmare or something?" Nyx was laying on his side, pushing the stray strands of your tousled hair from your face. "Hmm" you confirmed with a small nod. He tugged you down into a sleepy hug. "A little too early to be having nightmares" he joked, earning an irritated growl from you. "Kidding, just say something if it's too much okay?" Nyx smoothed your hair softly as he spoke. You could only nod slowly.

These dreams and nightmares you were having were too vivid to explain so simply. You yourself were unsure of them. Would he believe you were sharing dreams with the Oracle? Would he believe the Astrals are speaking to you? You didn't want to believe the nightmares meant anything. A shiver wracked your body as you remembered the slimy hand, the smooth voice, and the orange glowing eyes. All of it made your stomach twist with fear and anxiety. But the worst part was that it all seemed so familiar.

"Rise and shine!" an annoyed Libertus shook your shared tent. You could hear Crowe voice her complaints and Libertus shrugging it off. "Can't sense a mood" Nyx groaned rising to his feet. You sat up slowly, still reluctant to get up. "Let's go before the captain drags us out" he suggested. After what had transpired last night, you weren't very shy about changing in front of Nyx. He, on the other hand, faced the other direction in an attempt to give you privacy. It was sweet of him, but you weren't sure if anything had really changed between you two. Just as you were both dressed and ready to go, you stopped Nyx. "Something wrong?" he asked, he had his arms ready to hug you in case you ran at him. With a bashful sigh, you tugged at the collar of his coat. "You know, you didn't even kiss me," you said under your breath. Nyx let out a nervous sigh. "Ah damn, I got ahead of myself, didn't I? Ah, sorry..." he shuffled awkwardly still in your grip. You gave him an expecting look, urging him to make up for his past mistake. The air felt warm and fluffy, almost as if this was a scene in a cheesy romance movie. Nyx swallowed before leaning down and pressing a hesitant kiss on your lips. You had remained still, overwhelmed by the entirety of the kiss. It was different from Prompto's eager kisses or Noctis's sloppy one. Before you could really get into it, Nyx pulled back just in time for Tredd to flip open the tent. "Hey slow pokes, it's briefing time" he announced quickly running back out. You gave Nyx a small smile before taking off after Tredd, missing the frustrated look on his face.

Drautos didn't look any less stressed as he did the day before. "As you know, the Empire has been running experiments" a silent chill crept through the group. "Our orders are to destroy these experiments and any facilities the Empire has set up near Lucian borders" he proclaimed. There was a wave of agreement and everyone seemed on board for this mission. "Finally, we can start helping out people" Libertus grinned. You kept quiet, fear settling in. "____" you jumped at the sound of your name. Drautos was looking directly at you. "I will need you to work alongside Tredd and Pelna on infiltrating the Empire's base" he ordered. Pelna let out a whoop and threw his arm over your shoulders. "The Empire won't know what hit'em!" he cheered. "Just try not to get caught" Tredd gave you a nudge. "R-right, don't get caught," you said nervously. you vividly remembered the Magiteck's cold appearance. The metallic bodies thrashing about like broken marionettes and their screech once slain made your blood run cold.

"I should go too" Nyx spoke up, gaining everyone's attention. "Negative, we need you on the front lines and not in the enemy's hands" Drautos reprimanded. Nyx regrettably held back his remaining protests. "Don't worry, I'll keep ___ safe" Pelna promised, giving Nyx a thumbs up. "Hey, what about me?" Tredd butt in, annoyed by the declaration. Pelna turned to him, wearing a sly grin. "Oh, and I'll protect you too" he laughed, causing the later to laugh sarcastically. You felt better about having Pelna with you, he was intuitive and observant. Tredd was a well-seasoned warrior, but you always thought he was just as reckless as Nyx. "I'll be okay" you reassured Nyx, earning a proud grin from Drautos. "I have high expectations of you, all of you" he dismissed your group and assigned the rest to the front lines. Pelna left for a moment to get equipment for you. This left you alone with Tredd, who was frowning indignantly. "Don't listen to those guys, I definitely got your back okay?" he reprimanded. You couldn't help but laugh at how upset he was. "You know Pelna was only joking right?" you giggled. Tredd only pouted at your teasing. He was only a little bit older than you and had always been an easy target for you. "Yeah, but Nyx isn't the only one who wants to protect you" he sulked kicking the dirt.

"Yeah, yeah! The whole glaive babies me all the time!" you laughed. You gave Tredd a playful nudge, surprised that he didn't retaliate. "You don't get it, I don't want to baby you" the severity of his voice made you stop. Tredd grabbed your shoulder firmly, making you wince. "I don't see you as some kid, you're much more..." he trailed off deep in thought. His grip only grew stronger, making you gasp. "Tredd, you're hurting me..." you sobbed out. That seemed to rip him from his thoughts. Tredd quickly lets go of your shoulders and mumbled out an apology. Pelna returned no sooner, perplexed by the change in atmosphere. "Because we're going into a laboratory, we need to be prepared for any chemicals or gases" he explained pulling out small masks. Pelna gave one to you and Tredd, he slipped the last one onto his face. "Put it on like this, it will keep your face safe and filter out toxic fumes" as he spoke, the mask emitted a light similar to a Protect spell. You slipped on your mask and felt the buzzing of magic tickle your face. Tredd followed suit, remaining quiet. Pelna gave you both concerned looks, he definitely suspected something. "Ready to go?" he asked. You spared Tredd a quick glance before nodding, Tredd had caught your eyes before nodding as well.

Your group had driven off to the plains outside of the valley. You had stopped on the eastern side, using the cover of stray rock formations to hide your presence. Your eyes were trained on the base, it looked just as you would have expected. Large stone walls, eerie lights, machines at work and sentries on guard. It was like the Empire had no intentions of hiding what they were doing. "Cocky lot aren't they" Pelna commented dryly. You swallowed, this wasn't going to be easy at all. "Alright, while the others create a diversion in the west, we will sneak in on the east" Pelna pointed along the farthest side of the walls. "Over there, we can take out the remaining sentries and sneak in" he continued. "What about when we get in?" you asked. "Magitecks may be tough, but they can't detect you without hearing or seeing you first" Pelna reassured you. The knotting in your stomach did not cease, somehow you had a bad feeling about this. "Any intel on what might be inside?" Tredd voiced his concerns, seemingly on the same track as you. "None, but if it's like the other research facilities then we only have eggheads inside with MA-Xs" Pelna clarified. Tredd seemed satisfied with his response and didn't ask anymore. Pelna handed out the explosives that were to be placed in the base. There was an alarm and the doors to the base opened. A large amount of Magiteck soldiers stormed out followed by larger machines. Their metallic bodies mad an irritable grinding noise as they ran by at full speed. The others had begun the diversion and would surely be fighting for their lives. You watched Pelna, he was waiting for the last to trickled out and the doors to shut. "Alright, let's move" he ordered crouching low and sprinting off. You and Tredd followed suit, keep low and using the foliage for cover. The remaining sentries ran patrol around the base like clockwork. Pelna warp-striked one, taking it out instantly. He tossed the machine aside in the cover of the shadows of a large container.

Your arms ached as you scaled the wall alongside Tredd and Pelna. The stone wall revealed a wide area full of small housing structures, fenced off areas and containers with apprehensive labels. Pelna led the way across one of the roofs, dropping into a shady alley behind the structures. "It's awfully baren now" Tredd commented over the COMM systems. "Keep your guard up, we're still in enemy territory" Pelna's sharp reply came so quickly you could only nod. A few people in gaudy armor or thick lab coats left one building and briskly entered another. They weren't accompanied by any guards and didn't seem to care at the lack of security. "I'll go see what they're up to, you and Tredd go place the explosives in the other building" Pelna ordered. He dashed off without waiting for a reply, Tredd gently grabbed your shoulder to face you with the target. "I'll take the lead, stay close" he whispered as he checked the door. He disappeared for a moment before emerging and signaling you to follow. Inside the structure were multiple tables covered in test tubes and beakers full of mysterious fluids. Papers were in messy piles and littered the floor. You placed your explosives under the table while Tredd placed his on the surrounding walls. "Okay, let's move to the next one" Tredd headed back to the door only to rush back. "Quick, hide!" he hissed dashing off behind some machinery. You followed but heard the click of the door and dove under the nearest table.

Rushed footsteps echoed in your ears and you saw a pair of dress shoe speed by. "I can't believe those idiots, just because the puppets left doesn't mean we're in danger" an irritated voice spoke aloud. You held your breath and tried to make yourself as small as possible to avoid being seen. The feet stopped at your table as the man picked something up. He crouched down to pick up a paper and met your eyes. There was a long pause, you weren't sure how to react and he seemed to be surprised as well. "There you are, damn mercenary" he growled out. He stood back up, his foot tapping in an irritable manner. "Well. What are you waiting for? Come out" he ordered. You skittered out and stood up, confused by the turn of events. "Aranea said her men were capable, never knew she employed children" he spat. Despite his comment, he didn't look much older than you. He had short silver hair that was trimmed evenly in the back and swept bangs in the front. His face was fair and he wore dark spectacles that hugged his nose. "Anyways, stand guard so those peons don't lose their minds and kill us all" he continued. "Yes....sir" you replied hesitantly. He turned to you with a quirked brow. "Did they not brief you or have you forgotten our names?" he inquired with a frown. You weren't sure how to respond so you apologized. "You are to address me as Dr. Argutia, you can call the others whatever you like" he waved off before leaving the lab. As soon as the door shut, you fell to your knees. Tredd rushed to your side, helping you back up. "Did he do anything to you?" he looked you over and glanced back at the door. "No, he thought I was a mercenary" you replied. Tredd let out a sigh of relief. You both quickly left the lab and hid behind one of the hangers.

"I'm going to check on Pelna, you stay here" he ordered before warping to the structure Pelna had entered in. You crouched into the deepest darkest corner you could fit in. After a few minutes, Tredd came back with Pelna. "This is bad, we need to light this place up now" Tredd hissed. Pelna looked conflicted, but he didn't disagree. "We finish putting the explosives in the other half and then set them off" he ordered. You glanced at both of them, confused as to why they didn't report what they saw. "Is anyone going to tell me the reason for the urgency?" you asked. They both shared a solemn look before Pelna spoke up. "Somethings are better left unknown" he warned. "Tell me" you argued back, now irritated from being left in the dark. Pelna shook his head and ran off tot he next destination. You glared at Tredd, hoping to break him into spilling the truth. Tredd avoided your gaze and followed Pelna.

You had a bad taste in your mouth as you followed them.....


	20. Out with a bang!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wrapping up your first mission. Surprise guest next chapter.

**"Your nightmares follow you like a shadow, forever. ”---(Aleksandar Hemon)**

You had a bad feeling. Tredd and Pelna refused to answer your questions about their discoveries and wouldn't let you enter the labs anymore. You were left on the lookout while they planted the explosives. Occasionally, a Magitek soldier would stumble by and you would strike it from behind and hide the remaining scraps. As the last set of explosives were set, you couldn't help but feel frustrated. Did they not trust you enough? Then again, you were keeping a secret too. Nyx had asked you not to tell anyone about Alexander or your meeting with the King. It felt bad to keep such a secret, but Nyx was never wrong when it came to these situations. You trusted him with your life and he always put you first. Letting out a groan of frustration, you leaned against the wall. Why did everything suddenly get so complicated?

"Hey...."

You quickly removed yourself from the wall. You checked your COMM to make sure it wasn't damaged or that you were picking up interference. "Pelna? Tredd? is everything alright?" you called over. "Almost done, is everything okay on your end?" Tredd replied first. "Did you see the flare already?" Pelna had asked second. "No, I must be getting some interference," you said nervously. Maybe it had been your imagination, you were probably just stressed out.

"He..."

This time you were sure you heard a voice. Shaking, you glanced around only to find no one. You began to wonder in a world full of magic and demons, could ghosts also exist? No way, that's just silly. You laughed nervously at the thought, you were beginning to sound like Prompto. Ghosts don't exist-

"Help"

Suddenly everything went dark. Your eyes could only see the large lab Pelna and Tredd had investigated. It glowed blue like a soft flame, drawing you closer. You slowly stepped toward it, arm outstretched to push the door. The closer you got, the clearer the voice was.

"He...lp....yo....u....sa...i.d....you..."

It sounded familiar, you were sure you heard this voice before. It sounded scared, it sounded like it was in pain, it sounded like it was dying.

"Pro...tect....us"

Just as your hand reached the cool metal of the door, a hand yanked your shoulder back. You whipped around, ready to fight whoever touched you. It was the researcher from earlier. Now up close, you could see his eyes were a sapphire blue. He would have been handsome if he didn't look so sour all the time. "Only authorized personnel are allowed in, confidentiality and all" Argutia sneered. You grimaced, coming to your senses and shaking him off. You could see on his tag his whole name read 'Callida Argutia', how ironic for someone who couldn't recognize a glaive. "Are you authorized?" you snapped back, irritated by his presence alone. Callida clenched his teeth and looked down. "This is my first time in the field, I'll have you know back in Niflheim I am a high ranking researcher!" he exclaimed. "Assistant" you replied quickly. He faltered for a bit, taken back by your quip. "Excuse me?" he said, eyes wide in embarrassment. "Your tag says, assistant" you pointed out plainly. Callida quickly examined his tag before holding his head in shame. "Dammit, all! I told them to remove that!" he shouted. You slowly slipped by him, if you stayed he would just draw attention to you. Genius or not, you didn't need to get caught up in anything else. Especially since you were about to blow this place up. However, Callida quickly grabbed your arm. "Where are you going?" he hissed. You shook him off again, researchers don't have much muscle to them. "Back on watch" you clarified. "No need, your friend is coming to see the results of our experiments" Callida spoke as if it was something you should've known already. "Really? which one?" you decided to play along, albeit rather poorly.

"Chancellor Izunia"

Your blood ran cold, you weren't familiar with ranks in Niflheim but chancellor sounded like someone with authority. Someone who would bring at least a fleet of Magiteks for protection or a power play. "Oh! Could you meet us outside the base? I think the patrol found something" you lied. Honestly, you didn't want him to be caught in the explosion. Niflheim or not, you weren't down for killing a person. "Okay? show me" he quirked a brow, contemplating your words. "I-I have to pee first! Go on without me!" you exclaimed running back to the lab Pelna and Tredd were at. Callida didn't follow thankfully, seeming to believe your embarrassing lie. You rushed into the lab, catching Tredd and Pelna as they were finishing up. "We need to go!" you shouted. The two nodded and led the way out. "Captain, we're ready for the show" Pelna called over the COMM. "Get your asses out of there then" Drautos strict reply came quick and clear. It sounded like everything went well on their end. Tredd gave you a lift to climb onto the roofs before warping himself up, Pelna following suit. The three of you scaled the buildings and made it over the wall. A large airship flew over as you were making your retreat. "Don't look back!" Pelna ordered, pulling out the detonator. As the ship landed near the front of the base, your group headed back to the rendezvous point to escape the blast range.

"Get down!" Pelna cried out before pushing the button.

Tredd tackled you, shielding your body with his. Pelna dived into the dirt as the ground shook. You couldn't see but you could hear the base explode. The sound of grinding metal and collapsing structures hurt your ears. You felt Tredd stand and lift you, the two of you shuffling to the bushed. From behind, Pelna staggered in pursuit of you both. You and Tredd fell under the covers of the bushes. Pelna leaned next to the truck, fiddling with his COMM. "All done, everyone accounted for sir" he panted. "Aye, return to camp for briefing" Drauto ordered before cutting the line. "Fuck! that was wild" Tredd heaved with laughter, earning a crossed look from you and Pelna. "Maybe we should've left you back there huh?" Pelna sighed climbing into the truck. You threw yourself in as well, wearing a small smile. "We could still drop him off" you teased. Tredd scrambled to his feet, leaping into the armored vehicle. "Fuck, I was kidding you guys" Tredd hissed. It was a quiet ride back, your mind was still heavy with thoughts. You thought of Callida, did he make it out? Was the Chancellor caught in the explosion? Who's voice had you heard? It didn't help you were still shaken by the explosion.

The others were already at camp by the time your group arrived. Exhausted, battered, but very much alive. Drautos and Nyx were the only ones standing, too anxious for your return to sit down. When the truck stopped, Nyx hurried over. Pelna slowly climbed out, Tredd jumped out and held his hand out for you. With slight hesitation, you took his hand and lept down. His other arm caught you at your side and kept you sturdy. "Pelna, come with me" Drautos curtly turned heel and left without looking back. Pelna followed hastily, using the last of his energy to keep up with the captain. Nyx was at your side, trying to relieve you from Tredd. "I got ya" he slid his arms under yours and around your waist. "We got this" Tredd argued, tugging you back into his grip. The two held silent stares, neither taking their hands off your body. "Ahem!" Crowe coughed loudly, scowling at both men. She embraced you from the front, ushering both to release you. "Let's get you something for the shock," she said, rubbing your back slowly. Crowe brought you to the tent she and Libertus shared. In the tent, Crow handed you some medicine. "Your body is tense from the shock" she explained as you swallowed the pills. "But I don't feel pain?" you argued standing on your own. You felt heavy, suddenly your legs collapsed and Crow caught you. "It won't feel like pain, but your body isn't familiar with the battlefield yet" she laid you down on her futon.

Your body felt heavy, you could feel the fatigue set in as your breathing steadied. "Crowe, I have to tell you something" you sighed, you had to let someone know that the Chancellor was nearby. "Yes?" she asked. "The Niflheim chancellor was at the base, tell the captain" you managed out before passing out. Crowe's voice was the last thing you heard before sleep overtook you.


	21. The Older Brother

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another shared dream, but this time Ravus makes an appearance.

**"Most good relationships are built on mutual trust and respect."---(Mona Sutphen)  
**

_Your face felt cold against the metal floor. You slowly opened your eyes and tried to make out where you were. Nothing looked familiar, it didn't help it was dark as night as well. It was obvious you were inside something, better than nothing right? You felt along the walls, looking for a switch or a door. You felt along until you suddenly felt cloth. Your fingers groped the cloth, feeling a hard surface underneath. "Do you mind?" you jumped back and fell on your bottom at the low voice. "Gods! Who are you?!" you shouted as you tried to scramble away. Suddenly light filled the metal room, allowing you to see the visitor. He had lovely blond hair, reminding you of Luna's beautiful hair. His eyes were crossed in annoyance, grey as storm clouds. His attire consisted of a long white coat that was decorated with insignia. At his waist was a rapier, signaling of warnings in your head. He stood tall, radiating authority with his presence alone. "Who am I? you must be a fool to not recognize the head of the House Fleuret" he scoffed. It hadn't even been 5 minutes and you were already tired of him. "You don't say, must all princes be so pretentious?" you sighed as you stood back up. The 'gentleman' didn't seem very happy with your choice of words. "Don't lump me with that cur in Lucis!" he yelled, his right hand drew the rapier at his side and he pointed it at your neck. You jumped back, reaching for your daggers which had inconveniently disappeared._

_You clicked your tongue at your good luck. "I didn't even say anything..." you kept your distance. Dream or not, you weren't taking any chances. Ravus kept his sword drawn, looking you over. "A Lucian in my dreams? must be one of the Chancellor's dirty tricks" he mused stepping toward you. Without thinking, you stepped back. This little dance continued until you were sure you would hit a wall soon. "This isn't a trick! I am real!" you argued. However, your complaints fell on deaf ears as he brought the blade down. You crossed your arms over your head, bracing for the worst. The clang of metal on metal rang in your ears, ringing loudly in the vast room. You opened your eyes to see strange metal gauntlets on your arms. They glowed a faint green and burned magic onto your skin. The man's eyes widened in surprise. "The Arms of the Lost Astral Alexander..." he gasped. He withdrew his rapier, resting it back into its case. Still, in shock, you punched him in the chest. The man stumbled back, gasping for air. "I withdrew my blade!" he growled. "That's for trying to kill me!" you growled back. The man recomposed himself, shooting you an annoyed glare. You held a defensive pose, creating more distance between you both. "You said you were a Fleuret, are you related to Luna?" you asked. He didn't seem to like that either. "You call my sister so casually, yet I don't recall her having any friends" his fingers rested dangerously close to the hilt of the rapier._

_"I've been sharing dreams with her too, much better company than you if I may" you shot back. There was a brief silence, he was obviously sizing you up and debating on killing you. "Ravus Nox Fleuret," he said. His body relaxed, but you could feel an air of suspicion around him. You relaxed, but the gauntlets wouldn't disappear. "Normally you would give your name as well, Lucian" Ravus sounded just as annoyed as he looked. "It's ___, not Lucian" you replied. You circled him and hurried over to the door Ravus had been blocking. The door connected to a long hallway covered in metal. You walked along it, hearing Ravus follow behind you. His long strides made you rush to keep away from him. "I don't remember inviting you" your voice echoed loudly in the hallway. Ravus grinned like a cat, pleased with your reaction. "If we are 'sharing' dreams, then I would think we should stay together" he chuckled, easily closing the gap between you both. You grimaced, now you really had to watch your back._

_The hallway seemed almost endless. The other end was so far away no matter how long you walked. Glaring forward, you tried to look around for any hint that you were making progress. "It doesn't feel like we're getting anywhere here..." you trailed off. Ravus nodded in agreement. "Perhaps this is an illusion, we should look for another way" he felt the wall as if a secret passage would open up. Nothing happened, leaving you both to make do with the situation. "This is a dream, why can't I just create my own path?" Ravus hit the wall in rage. You suddenly had an idea. "If there isn't a door, let's make one" you leveled your fist at the wall. The gauntlets glowed with energy and exploded in flames as you threw your strongest punch. The wall collapsed inward, the inertia of your attack carrying you forward. "Oh shit!" you felt your body slip from the metal flooring and you began to free fall. Two arms wrapped your waist, making you flail mid-air. "Calm down!" Ravus shouted as he dodged your wild arms. You both hit the water below with a splash. Ravus swam to the nearest shore, keeping you pressed against him. Once you felt land under your fingers, you wiggled out of his hold. "Is that how you thank someone for saving you?" Ravus coughed. He was drenched and out of breath. "You still tried to kill me though so don't be mad if I don't consider us friends" you argued. You shuffled your feet before mumbling out a "thanks" to him._

_The area you both landed in was a beautiful landscape of water and land. Floating islands dressed in greens and blues. A grand castle floated on the largest island, bridges connecting it to the smaller ones. It looked similar to the one from your past dream. "That would be the House Fleuret" Ravus walked past you, leading the way. You followed him at a distance, still unsure of his intentions. Ravus slowed his pace down, allowing you to keep up with him. You both passed a level that was a field with a lovely shade of blue. The tall flowers packed together so tightly you could hardly see the grass underneath. "What are those flowers?" you asked, tugging on the back of Ravus's coat. He turned on his heels to face you, his gaze piercing down at you. "Sylleblossoms, the flower of zeal" Ravus crouched down and picked one. He handed it to you, a small smile on his lips. You rose your hand, hesitated, then quickly plucked the flower from his fingers. The flower was beautiful, it looked like it would crumble to dust at a single touch._

_"My sister loves Syellblossoms, I made sure the staff would grow them wherever possible" he continued walking. You stood mesmerized for a moment, the flower had an allure that kept you from looking away. You ran to catch back up to Ravus. "Where are we going?" you asked. Ravus had led you to the giant castle-like structure, but wouldn't say where he was going. "Um, earth to Ravus?" you tried again, a bit annoyed by his silence. "I am going to my bedroom, you may go where you like" he replied. "In that case, I'm going to your room too" you argued. Ravus gave you a look of astonishment. "I think not, were you not trying to get away from me earlier?" he stepped towards you. "Didn't you say we should stick together?" you challenged him and stepped toward him. The both of you held an intense stare, neither party letting up. You could feel your resolve waver a bit, Ravus really looked intimidating. "You have the gall, for a Lucian" Ravus chuckled. He turned away and continued to his room. You followed along, receiving no more complaints from the prince._

_It didn't take long to find Ravus's room. He held the door open for you, allowing you to see the lavish interior. The room was decorated in white and gold framing. Small vases of flowers were placed in the corners, an expensive mirror hung on the wall, large windows led out to a balcony surely with a grand view. The furniture looked spotless and soft, urging you take a seat and relax. "I feel like I will get divine punishment if I sit on anything" you laughed nervously. Ravus went ahead and took a seat in one of the chairs. You stood awkwardly near the bed, unsure of where to sit. "Just be seated already" Ravus ordered in annoyance. You sat down at the edge of his bed. The mattress sunk with your weight, enveloping you in softness and silky pleasure. "I am in love with your bed" you sighed out, kicking your legs as your feet left the ground. "Very funny, it's not for sale" Ravus smiled. You stuck your tongue out at him. He seemed to have lightened up since you first had met, leaving you to wonder what made him such a hard ass. "This is odd, usually I wake up by now," you said aloud. Ravus either wasn't worried or hid it well. "Time doesn't apply to dreams, what feels like an eternity may only be a few minutes" he explained. "Would you mind telling me more about Tenebrae until we both wake up?" you asked. Ravus stared at you, trying to find some ulterior motive in your request. All he could decipher was pure curiosity, the innocence of a child hungry for knowledge. "I can tell you, don't expect it to be enthralling" Ravus complied. You eagerly sat on his bed and listened to him tell the tale of the first Oracle and the Astrals. At some point, you had fallen asleep and the dream had ended._

* * *

  
When you awoke, you were in your room. Your body felt heavy, a groggy feeling overcame you as you tried to sit up. The room was dimly lit, allowing you to make out your Chocobo plush and a few pictures on the wall. Your throat felt dry and stung when you tried to speak. You were able to swing your legs over the edge of your bed, but fell when you tried to stand. You heard the sound of rushed footsteps, then the door opened. Nyx looked down at you, a wave of relief washing over him. "You could've said something" he lifted you into his arms, holding you close. You shook your head, making strangled groaning from your throat. "Ah right, you haven't had water yet" he carried you out and into the living room. Nyx sat you down in a chair and went to get you a glass of water. "You knocked out for 10 hours, Crowe was worried sick," he said aloud. He returned with a tall glass of water, handing off to you. The water felt cool and soothing going down your throat, you couldn't help but gulp it down. "Slow down, you're gonna hurt yourself" Nyx warned. You started coughing, finishing the glass and handing it back to him. "I had a mighty thirst" you laughed, your voice finally back to normal. "Yeah yeah, don't blame me if you start hiccuping" Nyx took the glass from you and felt your forehead. "You kept up well with us out there, no surprise your body gave out at the end" he smiled proudly as he spoke. You felt your pride bubble over. "Told you I was ready" you boasted. "Right, the captain is giving you a few days off to get some rest" Nyx ordered you strictly.

"I promise nothing" he gave you a warning glare but you knew he meant well. "Why don't you go see your friends? I bet they miss you a great lot" Nyx suggested. You felt an uneasiness in your stomach, Nyx could see it on your face. "What? you guys have a fight or something?" he teased. You shrugged your shoulders, trying to avoid the topic. "Well, you can't dodge them for the rest of your life if you plan to serve the future king" Nyx shot you a knowing look. It was that look that told you he had a lecture ready if you didn't take his advice. "Fine, I'll go see them" you gave in and trudged back into your room to get ready. You flipped open your phone and saw 28 notifications. Most of them were Prompto, the rest from either Ignis and Gladiolus. You hadn't really expected Noctis to try and contact you, so it surprised you when you saw the most recent one was from him.

"We need to talk"


	22. Return to normalcy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So much fluff, I can't see ahead of me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a question, would you be alright with a time skip? The alternative was going to be summarized missions with a little bit of interaction. I just want to smoothly transition into the fall of insomnia. Feedback is appreciated.

**"Love is friendship that has caught fire. It is quiet understanding, mutual confidence, sharing and forgiving. It is loyalty through good and bad times. It settles for less than perfection and makes allowances for human weaknesses."---(Ann Landers)**

Graduating was hard, infiltrating an enemy base was difficult, facing a friend after a fight?

Dreadful.

You took a deep breathe as you paced the street corner you stopped at. Thanks to Nyx, you hadn't holed yourself inside your room and put off the inevitable awkward confrontation. Noctis had requested you both meet up at the arcade. You had agreed, renewing your habit of loitering around the arcade. On habit, you had almost called Prompto. It would have been a relief to have him with you, but you knew it was best not to. With the arcade just around the corner, you had stayed hidden while you tried to build up the courage to face Noctis. You peeked around the corner and spotted him leaning against the wall. He was dressed in his usual casual wear. A sporty shirt, dark well made jeans, stylish sneakers, and a bomber jacket. His eyes were on his phone and his shoulders were slumped. You could feel your heartbeat accelerate. Although you've yet to see him in formal wear, you always liked seeing him dressed casually. It reminded you of how close you both were without any other messy feelings getting in the way.

Doing one last hype prayer, you turned the corner and headed to Noctis. "Hey Naptis" you greeted, pulling him out of his game. "Hey nerd" he shot back with a small smile. You smiled back, shuffling closer to him. You both held an awkward silence, unsure of where to go from greeting. "Sooo...." you trailed off, you wanted to let him talk so you could determine the situation. Noctis had always been a locked box of emotions. He always withheld his feelings until they built up and overflowed. "Ah right, let's go this way" he began walking away from the arcade, leading you into the heart of Insomnia. You managed to keep up with his lazy pace, nearly dragging his feet. The sounds from the passing cars filled the silence between you both. The Citadel came into view, prompting Noctis to stop. "When were you going to tell me you were a glaive?" he asked staring at the large structure. "I was just sworn in a short while ago, I didn't have the chance" you confessed. Noctis didn't appear to doubt you, but he didn't appear happy either. "Okay," he continued walking, silently requesting you follow.

The next stop was the park nearby, it was grand in appearance. Multiple flowers littered the area and strong trees erected from the soil. Busts of the Line of Lucis decorated the park as well, in memorial to their duties. Not many visited the park other than those employed by the Citadel or elderly folk. Today it was barren, save for a stray cat or two. Noctis walked into the park and turned to you. "I...we need to get something straight okay?" his words were hesitant and his eyes avoided contact with yours. "Okay?" you urged him to continue, anxiety already crawling all over you. Noctis walked into the park, following the trail to the deepest part. The trail twisted around allowing one to view the busts tentative detail and the amazing arrangements surrounding them. The trail had ended at the bust of King Regis. Noctis carefully stepped behind it, waving for you to join him.

He pushed the bushes aside, revealing a small hole. Noctis crawled through the hole, you following suit. The secret tunnel was fairly short, breaking away to a small garden. The garden was mostly flowers of various kinds. You had recognized the sylleblossoms from your dream. The flowers had grown around another bust, this one was a woman. Her hair looked smooth and silky despite being made of stone. She wore a kind smile, it appeared so naturally as if she always smiled. Noctis sat down in front of her, facing you. "About last time, I'm sorry for getting so angry at you" Noctis bowed his head in apology. You were taken back by his gesture. You sat down in front of Noctis, placing your hands on his cheeks. "Hey man, this is so not like you" you laughed as you raised his head. Noctis pouted at you but he didn't pull away. "I felt awful after you left, I didn't ever want to hurt you like that" he admitted. His eyes fled from you again, making you want to tease him. "Well, I didn't help by getting upset too" you argued back. Noctis lips made a thin line as if he was going to reaffirm the blame. "So I apologize for yelling at you" his eyes rose back up to yours. His hands covered yours as he took a deep breath. "Yeah about that..." he sighed.

"Hm?" you rocked his head playfully in your hands. "I...I'm not dating anyone, I never was," he said. You kept yourself calm, despite feeling a bit of joy from hearing him say it. "Luna and I....we've known each other for a long time and it's hard to explain" he continued. "She's important to me, but so are you" Noctis grip grew tighter around your hands. "I don't want to lose either of you, I shouldn't have kissed you" he finished. You felt your heart twist a bit. "Noctis, I shouldn't have overreacted" you argued back. "I was afraid and confused, I really liked it when you kissed me" your cheeks felt hot as you spoke. "But when I saw the journal, I assumed....well..." you trailed off in shame. "No way, I wouldn't dream of two-timing" he defended himself quickly. "Anyways!" you pinched his cheeks lightly, causing him to simmer down. "Let's go back to how things were, okay?" you offered him a smile. "Yeah....um..." Noctis voice became quieter. You sighed, patting his face lightly. "We can still kiss" you complied with his plea. Noctis face lit up and a large smile stretched from cheek to cheek. Noctis leaned in eagerly, only to be stopped as your finger pressed against his lips. "Ah, ah, not so soon" you reprimanded him. "Haha...right...." he laughed out dejectedly.

The sun was setting on your day, the orange rays leaving the garden dimly lit. "Want to stay the night?" Noctis asked as he stood up. He left his hand outstretched for you. "Sure, but you're buying pizza" you gratefully accepted his hand. As you both left, a cool breeze swept through the park. "Shit, it's cold" Noctis hissed, his body shivered and shook against the wind, "C'mere your highness" you teased wrapping your arm around his. You leaned against him and he leaned in for warmth. "Much better" he hummed in delight. You rolled your eyes and stumbled along to his apartment. This time you both talked animatedly about your time apart. You had missed Ignis's birthday and Gladiolus took Prompto on a hike. You had briefly told him about your mission. "You were caught?" Noctis said in shock. "No, I was spotted but the guy didn't know I was a spy" you explained. "Oh, so you suck as an assassin then" you glared at Noctis, bumping his hip with yours. "Assassin's Creed doesn't make you any better than me" you hissed. Noctis simply laughed off your actions, making you smile.

As you went up to his room, Noctis had ordered a pizza over the phone. "The usual is fine?" he asked despite already finishing the order. "Hmm, extra cheese?" you double checked with him. "The only way to eat a pizza" Noctis nodded in agreement. He had lent you some of his clothes, your choice of course. One of his shirts and some running shorts, which fit just right. "Alright, first a battle for who picks the movie" Noctis challenged. "You're on!" you accepted him eagerly. Both equipped with equal sized controllers and no obstructions, you battle began. The match led to a sudden death, making you both rise onto your knees as the fight intensified. "Get ready to lose!" Noctis laughed, he broke out a combo attack that backed you into a corner. "Oh Pah-lease! I'm gonna kick your royal ass!" you had countered, leaving Noctis open for e brief moment. "Gah! shit!" Noctis's couldn't defend against your attack, making you the victor. The buzzer had rung, signaling you both the pizza had arrived. "I better go let him in" Noctis took off to alert security of his order. You basked in victory as you waited for him to return.

You claimed the long couch for yourself, idly examining the room. Noctis apartment looked the same as usual, save for Ignis's charming presence. You buried your face into one of the pillows, your mind had begun torturing you. The clothes, the pillow, the room, it all smelled of Noctis's scent. You had told him once that his cologne smelt nice, he used the same brand ever since. He'd asked for your preference for soaps and lotions too, only making you wonder why. "Damn it all" you groaned as you pried your face from the pillow. "What? you that hungry?" Noctis had returned holding the large box of pizza. The smell of grease and cheese made your stomach growl. "Uh yeah! what took so long?" you smiled as he set the box down in front of you. "I didn't take that long" Noctis argued, he plopped down on the couch next to you and leaned back. "Did you decide on a movie?" he continued. You nodded and grabbed the remote. "I don't get why we have to fight if we have the same taste in movies," you said aloud as you browsed through his library. "It makes it more interesting" Noctis replied as he took the first slice of pizza. You started the movie and quickly went to take your portion of pizza.

Throughout the movie, Noctis had stretched out next to you. Both of you were leaning on one another, prompting him to rest his arm on your shoulder. "That never gets old" he laughed as both of your favorite scenes appeared. "It really doesn't" you laughed along with him. The pizza had been finished off a while ago, leaving a savory smell in the room. "Man, your breath smells like three kinds of cheese" you laughed, pretending to be disgusted. "Like yours doesn't" Noctis argued, pinching his nose. "Nuh-uh, my breath is always fresh and clean" you argued with a proud smile. "Oh yeah?" Noctis hadn't even given you a chance to defend yourself. He had leaned in and sloppily pressed his lips to yours. Although take back, you hadn't pulled away. When he leaned back, he stuck his tongue out at you. "Like kissing a seasoning packet" he joked. You pouted at him and gave him a playful shove. "You're still grounded from doing that, I demand compensation" you feigned distress.

"Hmm? how about this?" Noctis leaned back in, this time crawling a bit on top of you. He placed a kiss on your cheek before moving down your neck. "Gaha! no!" you squealed grabbing his arms tightly. You could feel him laugh against your skin as he began to tickle you. Both of you succumb to laughter, although yours became gasps as you needed air. "Noct! Please!" you begged as you writhed underneath him. "Alright, alright" he laughed as he ceased the torture. As you took in gulps of air, you could feel him watching you. "What's up?" you asked, a bit concerned with his hard gaze. "Uh nothing, you just looked really nice," he said quietly. He avoided your eyes and awkwardly scratched the back of his head. "The duality of a prince" you snickered as you rose from the couch. Noctis looked ready to say something but held back. "Let's get this cleaned up and get some sleep" you grabbed the pizza box and ran off to his kitchen.

You had been refraining from letting the blush show on your face. Noctis had been more aggressive than usual, it made you nervous. All this time you had been keeping your feelings in check, but now it felt like your body was ripping at the seams. "You want to crash in my bed tonight?" Noctis offered as he leaned on the wall. You nodded, silently glad you'd be able to sleep peacefully. It hadn't occurred to you that he planned on staying the bed too. Only until you had crawled into bed did you realize he had no intention of leaving. Noctis sat at the edge of the bed, turning the light off before slipping under the same blanket you were using. "Ah, together then?" you had hummed nervously. "Did you want me to leave?" Noctis sounded dejected as he spoke. "No! no! just don't touch me with your cold hands!" you quickly clarified. The mattress had shifted and Noctis's hands had slipped around your sides. He pulled you close as he cuddled up to you. "How's that?" he hummed. "Absolute zero" you had lied, shivering from his touch for other reasons. His hands were actually warm, scalding in contrast to your skin. It didn't hurt, it felt so good you had to keep from writhing against him.

"Sorry, I'm gonna need you to warm me up" Noctis buried his nose into your hair, steadying his breath as he dozed off. You could feel your heart beating against your chest, pulse thundering throughout your body.

"At least you can sleep" you sighed.


	23. Noctis's Good Morning Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry not sorry for this one.

**"The best proof of love is trust."---(Joyce Brothers)  
**

_You awoke once again in a dream. The absence of Noctis confirmed it was a dream. From what you could tell, you were in Tenebrae again. The room you were in looked the same as Ravus's room had been. You believed it to be his room and rose from his bed, albeit reluctantly. You walked up to the door and pressed your ear to it. The hall outside was quiet, indicating you were alone. You gently pushed the door open and peeked out. Nothing but the serene landscape of Tenebrae, yep. You emerged from the doorway and stretched, somehow it felt like you had been asleep for a long time. As you pondered the line between dreams and reality, the sounds of footsteps echoed in the hall. You quickly ran the opposite direction, looking for some form of cover. The footsteps became more frequent, the person obviously in pursuit of you. They were able to keep a good pace with you, although they weren't exactly catching up._

_You had made it to a garden area, an excellent place to ambush your pursuer. You chose a decent sized bush to hide behind. It didn't take long for them to round the corner, their footsteps halting at the absence of their target. You sprung from the bush ready to strike them, only to freeze and trip forward in front of them. "Oh!" Lunafreya had exclaimed as you hit the hard stone floor. She quickly crouched to your side. "I apologize, you were running so fast I couldn't call out" her hands flew to your sides as she assisted you. "It's okay, I thought you were your brother" you explained. She seemed to be pleased with your response. "You had a dream with him too? But why to run from him?" she frowned in confusion. "Let's say he wasn't a delight at first" you stood back up and dusted yourself off. "He didn't hurt you did he? I swear he can be such an..." Lunafreya's cheeks puffed with agitation as she looked around. "An ass!" she exclaimed, her cheeks flushing red. You were taken back a bit by her declaration, flinching from her excitement. "Did you just say ass?" you asked, only making her flush more. "I heard him say it once so I wanted to try it too..." she smiled bashfully. "That was brilliant" you laughed, Lunafreya giggled in response. "But really, did he warm up to you at least?" she asked hopefully. You nodded much to her delight. "Yeah, after I mentioned you he was less of an....ass" Lunafreya's face flushed a deeper red at your jesting. "Must you tease me so?" she buried her face into your shoulder. "Yeah, it's in the friend rulebook" you laughed._

_Lunafreya had urged you to take a tour of her home. She animatedly talked about the gardens, her favorite places to enjoy tea, the places where she would read, and the places she wasn't allowed to go. "Have you ever been to Insomnia?" you asked, catching her by surprise. "No, but I'd love to visit" Lunafreya smiled. You gave her your hand, bowing slightly. "May you find yourself in Insomnia one day, I shall treat you to a tour my lady" you said dramatically. Lunafreya giggled and shook your hand gently. "It's a promise" she responded. You both had continued forward, heading to one of the few gardens covered in Sylleblossoms. This one had the best view of Tenebrae and a table already set with tea. "You have better control over your dreams than me or Ravus," you said in awe. Lunafreya was surprised by your statement. "Were you both unable to do so?" she asked taking a seat at the table. You shook your head as you sat down across from her. "Yeah, I can barely even figure out where I am most of the time" you admitted. Lunafreya was troubled by your statement. "Have you met with any of the astrals?" she continued her inquiry. "Yes, Bahamut spoke to me for a moment" you left out the rest of the dream, it didn't feel right to talk about it. "That's a relief, you must know by now your role in all of this" you perked up at her words. "Did you know? all this time you already knew?" you asked. Lunafrey's eyes looked down at her teacup, deep in thought on how to approach the truth._

_"It was no secret to me of who would be the next Seer of Eos, I just wasn't sure if it was you until you told me your name" she confessed. Her eyes rose and met yours with a saddened look. "The late seer had told us about you and I would have been able to meet sooner" Lunafreya's hands shook as she held her teacup. You reached over and clasped your hands over her, effectively steadying her hands. "That's okay! Better late than never right?" you reassured her that you held no ill feelings. "Yes, I suppose so" Lunafreya sounded relieved by your reaction. "Whatever happened, I can't blame you or King Regis" you began pouring your heart out to her. "Nana knew what was coming and did her best, I still can't remember much but I believe in her choice" your heart felt heavy. There was still so much more than you didn't know yet and you were expected to know the future of Eos. Lunafreya gave your hand a gentle squeeze in an attempt to sooth you. You both continued to talk over tea, although neither of you actually drank any. The dream had ended on a good note as you both gossiped about Ravus and Noctis, hoping neither would intrude on the dream._

* * *

 

You had awoken to a situation that made you consider going back to sleep or shoving Noctis off the bed. At first, you woke in a tight embrace, which made your heart flutter. You would've slept in if not for the intruding feeling of something prodding at your backside. You had tried to adjust yourself to create some space, but that only made Noctis grumble in his sleep and snuggle closer. His hips moved gently against your back....in time with the mysterious object.....

By the six, the boy had Morning wood.

Your mind raced as you tried to think of ways to proceed with this situation. You desperately ignored the thought that told you to just wake him up and have a go at it. Noctis didn't seem like he was letting up anytime soon. As much as you would love to doze back off in his arms, his cock was creating a bit of a problem. You shifted once more and made things worse. your legs had made a gap just enough for his tip to be redirected to between your thighs. You tried to clamp your legs shut but it was too late. He had successfully secured his raging hard-on into the sanctuary between your legs. His boxers provided little protection against his smoldering dick. You could hear him groan, a primal groan from his throat. Ignoring the saliva pooling in your mouth, you tried to open your legs again in hopes he would slip away. However, it wasn't going to be that easy.

Noctis began to thrust gently between your legs. His rhythm was slow, barely moving against you. It was difficult to ignore him as he softly groaned into your ear. At this point, anything you did wouldn't result in being released. So you decided to play into it. You put your hand on the bit of his cock that poked from between your thighs. As soon as your hand made contact with it, Noctis shuddered against you. It was then, you were able to hear what he was groaning. "____...." he had sighed in a husky voice. You shuddered and released a shaky breath. You'd never heard Noctis like this before. You had fantasized about hearing him say your name like that, but the reality of it was too much to handle. You slowly pulled his boxers to try and remove the material, but Noctis didn't want to wait. He began thrusting more harshly into you, moaning when his tip rubbed against your palm. You could feel the cloth dampen with what you could only assume was his semen leaking out.

You held your breath as you traced out the shape of his dick through his boxers. Noctis's breathing became ragged and his hips moved desperately against you. Your neck felt hot from his breaths and you could hear him whimper as he neared his release. It came to you as a surprise when his body sized up against you. He choked, almost like a sob, and moaned out. The dampness became a sopping mess as he released into his garments. At that moment, he relaxed enough for you to slip away and give him a pillow. Noctis was still unaware, cuddling the pillow as if it were his lover.

You couldn't feel it, but your face was burning red. You quietly walked out of his room and speed walked to the couch. In a swift movement, you dived into the furniture and screamed into the pillow. You just jerked off your best friend, your future king, and your first love? The last part didn't make you feel any better. You picked yourself up and thought it would be best to try and hide the evidence. You glanced at your hand, it still felt hot.

But first, wash your hands.


	24. Post-invasion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is build up for a time skip. Next chapter will literally be the beginning of Kingsglaive.

**"After every storm the sun will smile; for every problem there is a solution, and the soul's indefeasible duty is to be of good cheer."---(William R. Alger)**

As soon as you had finished cooking up some good ol' bacon and eggs, Noctis sauntered in half alive and hungry. "Morning" he yawned as he trudged over to the counter to take the plate you had made for him. "Morn'in" you squeaked, your eyes trying to stay off him. Noctis didn't seem to notice or be aware of what had transpired only an hour ago. You sat next to him and meticulously made sure your shoulder or arm didn't touch him. "So, why are you so strung?" Noctis pointed his fork at you while he chewed a strip of bacon into his mouth like a machine eating paper. "I'm not strung, I'm just awake unlike some people" you argued. You grabbed a napkin and pressed it against your cheek. "You're a real piece of work" you sighed. Noctis gave feigned appreciation and continued to, quite literally, dig in. You were absentmindedly eating your breakfast, your mind was still foggy with the feeling of him against you. "Okay, you just swallowed and nothing was in your mouth" Noctis's voice cut through your thoughts. You jumped and turned to him with a slight blush. "A-aren't these the sexiest eggs you ever saw? I'd want to kiss the cook!" you quickly made up on the spot. Noctis stared at you, in disbelief or embarrassment, you would never know. What you did know is that he leaned in, pressed his lips to yours in a small peck, and pulled back with a silly grin.

"If you wanted a kiss, all you had to do was ask" he smiled. Damn dense prince....

\---------------------------------------------------------------------

You had left Noctis's apartment and walked back to yours. You had received a text from Nyx that an expedition was planned for tomorrow. When you had asked what an 'expedition' was, he only replied with a wink emote. As adventurous as you knew him to be, this meant more work for you. As expected, Nyx was waiting and had you clean up and suit up. Crowe and Libertus had been waiting for the two of you. "There you lot are, fashionably late as always" Libertus chided with a grin. You gave him a small pout but ignored him for the most part. "We've been assigned to a squad together" Crowe explained. A single armored truck was stationed in the parking lot. It was wracked full of camping equipment and extra supplies set for a good few days. "Wait, where are we going?" you asked cautiously. "There's been more daemon activity lately and less Niff activity, guess they can finally spare some hands out to the people who really need it" Libertus spat. "We only handle the dangerous daemons, the lights will keep the small ones away" Crowe stressed, mostly to Libertus. Neither were able to ease your nerves. Daemons meant serious business, they wouldn't retreat when things get hot. You felt Nyx place a heavy hand on your shoulder. "The daemons only come out at night, we just have to keep them at bay till then okay?" he tried to reassure you of the dangers. You nodded, resolve found for doing your duty.

But a sense of uneasiness did not subside.

You loaded up, sitting in the back with Libertus while Crowe navigated. "We aren't going too far, we will be assisting South Leide near the checkpoint in Ostrum Gorge" Crow confirmed as she directed Nyx. The vehicle bounced as the terrain became rocky and dusty. "Where do we make camp?" you asked, there was virtually nothing but rocks for miles. "We'll have to make do, can't draw any attention to the locals" Libertus explained. It made sense for you all to stay at a distance, but that meant nothing but Firewatch. The truck made a turn onto a dirt road, bounding to a safe haven within a good distance of the checkpoint. You stepped out of the truck and glanced around. A few creatures could be seen in the distance, the large mountain, and some plant life became your temporary home. "Won't this be fun" Libertus's sarcastic tone had you turning back to the truck. "Let's make camp before we get to work," Nyx said as he grabbed two tents with ease. You helped Crowe set up the lights and armory while Libertus and Nyx set up the tents. "How long are we going to be out here?" you asked. Crowe frowned, she was hoping to avoid the topic. "Well, we will be making rounds so we will be here for a few weeks" she admitted. "Then we will swap with the North team," Libertus said bitterly. "C'mon, think of the snow angels you can make" Nyx chuckled giving Libertus a shove. "I'd rather not freeze my arse off" Libertus shoved back.

You checked your phone. There was still reception so you would be able to contact the others. You shed your Kingsglaive coat like the others, the dry heat was finally getting to you. The sun burned bright overhead and there was no wind. "Would you rather sweat us a lake to swim in?" you sighed. "Look at the mouth on this one" Libertus rolled his eyes before standing up. "Let's go on a hunt, we need something to eat tonight" he continued. Crowe nodded in agreement and Nyx jumped to his feet ready for action. "Coming?" he gave you a quick wink. "Always" you replied.

At first, it was easy just dealing with the Sabertusks. You could hold your own against two, but a pack gave you all a run for your money. Crowe had advised you to keep anything you find that could be sold or used to repair the weapons. It all went bad when a Dualhorn decided to join in the hunt. Thankfully, Nyx and Libertus had faced bigger beasts and were able to slay the large animal. The hunt proved to be bountiful, you'd be eating ribs for a week.

As night drew closer, everyone had begun running down rules. "First things first, never leave camp," Nyx said sternly. "What if we have to piss n' shit?" Libertus cackled. Nyx rolled his eyes and gestured to a nearby bush. "Be my guest" he said sarcastically. "If you have to leave, use the buddy system," Crowe said loudly, cutting the two off. You nodded, you and Crowe had started making dinner while Libertus kept fire watch. Nyx made the fire and joined Libertus later. You had done most of the work, impressing Crowe. "Nyx is so lucky to get to eat your home cooking all the time~" she hummed as she took in the delicious aroma. "I spoil him too much" you laughed in reply.

Dinner had gone by fairly quickly, you were first on night watch and everyone had retired for the night. The eerie quiet was accompanied by the soft cacophony of the insect life and the groans of passing Sabertusks. The bright lights were attuned nearby, extending the safe haven's protection around the truck. In the far distance, you could make out similar lights indicating the checkpoint and even further, the rest of Leide. Thankfully, your shift went smoothly and a daemon had not shown up. You retired and swapped out with Crowe, who quickly ushered you into your tent.

The next few days stayed the same. True to the information, not a single airship had entered the vicinity. Nyx called it a blessing while Libertus remained skeptical. "That just means they're out causing trouble somewhere else" he muttered. In the meantime, Crowe had shown you how to harness magic from the nearby deposits. "I think you're beginning to be able to use magic, let's try it out later" she reassured you. Unbeknownst to you later would come much sooner. That very night, you had been on watch again. Restless from the mundane, you took to scouting around camp at the edge of the light. You hear a loud moan but ignored it by thinking a Dualhorn was passing by. The sounds of wet earth and heavy metal cause you to panic and go investigate. You had watched half of an Iron Giant pull its mighty body from a pool of darkness. Its large blade shook the earth as it emerged. Fiery eyes turned to your form and it slowly advanced toward camp.

"Guys! H-help!" you screamed running back into the camp. You one by one, you shook the tents desperately in need of assistance. "Oi, enough yelling" Libertus yawned as he climbed out of his tent. His eyes caught the daemon and he quickly woke up. "Shit, Nyx wake the hell up!" Libertus quickly ran to engage the daemon. Nyx shot from his tent and Crowe had taken up the defensive. "___, try casting blizzard to slow it down!" she cried out. You felt your fingers tingle with energy before going cold. You thrust your hand toward the daemon, encasing it in a small blizzard. The Iron Giant roared out a cry of anger, it's body seizing up from the spell. "Nice work!" Nyx called out as he warp striked the daemon. Libertus came from behind with heavy mace, striking the giant to its knees. As the daemon tried to get its bearings, Crowe cast a mighty Fira spell. The Iron Giant collapsed and sunk into the darkness from which it came.

You all rendezvous back to camp, coated in dirt and grime from the fight. "That...." you shuddered as you collapsed to your knees. "____!" Crowe quickly ran to your side and helped you up. "That was....pretty bad ass" you continued with a nervous laugh. Nyx sighed in relief while Libertus belted out a laugh. "Oh, you" Crowe let go of you with a silly grin. "No, my knees are still shaking!" you whined as you reached out for her. Crowe had taken you back to your tent and retired to her own. Nyx was on watch for the rest of the night, until Libertus would take his place. You felt worn out from using magic so spontaneously and immediately drifted off to sleep.

Weeks had passed and you were slowly mastering magic. Libertus had trained you in stamina and support spells. Crowe had helped you with elemental spells. Nyx, who rarely used magic, was the target. "I'm getting tired of you torching my ass" he groaned shaking off a Fira spell. "Then cast better protect spells" you snickered. Nyx shrugged it off and stretched his back. "Okay smartass, help pack up camp" he ordered. You followed Nyx as he headed back to camp. "We're swapping with the North team today huh?" it had been months and you were still patrolling the borders of Insomnia. "Tredd has been complaining about the cold and they haven't seen as many daemons as we have" Nyx explained. As you both reached Camp, Libertus joined the conversation. "It's not like many are left, we pretty much cleaned the place," he said proudly. "Even so, orders are orders" Crowe jumped in. The three of you went silent, all of you knew better than to go against Drautos. "I say we take our sweet time, maybe pop over into Hammerhead?" Libertus suggested. "Go ahead, I'm sure the Imperials will greet you with open arms" Nyx shot back. All the time you had spent together had made you forget about the Niflheim. They were still on the move outside of Insomnia, but none of you had seen any airships.

The drive was fairly quiet, except for the few times a pack of animals was crossing. The rocky terrain transitioned into a snowy landscape. You rolled down your window and stuck your hand out. Tiny blots of snow covered your hand quickly and melted into water droplets against your skin. "I don't think a tent will be enough" you withdrew your hand and shook off the water. "Thankfully, we have heaters" Crowe pointed to the tall cylinders in the back. Nyx had steered toward the nearest heaven, where the North team was waiting. The truck stopped just outside the camp, Nyx jumped out to talk with the others. You assisted Crowe and Libertus with unloading the camp equipment. You thought you had a good grip on the tents, but your hand had slipped and they descended from your arms. Strong hands gripped yours and lifted the tents back into your grip. You tilted the tents to get a look at your hero. A smiling Tredd met your curious gaze. "Did you get a little snow in your eyes chic?" he teased. "Chic?" you repeated in confusion at this new nickname. "Your eyes are all wide like a Chocobo chick, it's supposed to be cute" he continued with a pat on your shoulder. You felt your cheeks heat in embarrassment.

Tredd helped set up camp, getting the job done quicker than last time. Libertus had joined Nyx while he talked to Pelna. Crowe had gone to gather magic from the deposits, leaving you alone with Tredd. You both leaned up against a heater, absorbing the warmth against the chilly wind. "This is how it should be, us helping the people who really need it" Tredd rejoiced. You felt your stomach turn at this. "Is it really that bad?" you asked. He wasn't surprised by your comment. "Life inside the wall isn't great, but outside is hell every day as long as the Niffs are around" he spat. Tredd began to catch on to your discomfort and eased up. "It's just nice to finally be able to help people like us" he explained. "How long are we going to be out here?" you asked. "Hopefully, by the end of the year we will be back in Insomnia" Tredd sighed. "Unless a war breaks out" he added shrugging his shoulders. "Tredd!" you hissed jabbing him in the side. "Hey now, I'm just saying!" he chuckled.

You huddled up closer to him. "I hope there isn't going to be one" you lamented. "Me too, Chic, me too" Tredd replied.


	25. Knock, knock, it's war

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now begins the fall of Lucis, how many people can you save? can you even save yourself?

**"Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together."---(George Elliot)**

Outside of Lucis's walls had become a war zone. In the year that you had served outside the wall had gone from peaceful to chaotic. The Niflheim had upgraded their infantry by deploying daemons. The magitek soldiers weren't as much trouble, but the various demons made it difficult. Crowe and the others more proficient in magic stayed a safe distance away. Although, with the many daemons flying around and the occasional airship, that was debatable. You were on the front lines along with the other glaives, holding the demons back from the border. The dust and fire clouded the area, making it hard for you to keep track of the others. The air was difficult to breathe and left you gasping for any clean air that you could find. By now, you'd already lost sight of Nyx and assumed he was covering for the rest. But you didn't have much time to think about that. Not while you had Gargoyles and Arachnes hunting you down for the thrill of the kill. As you dodged and parried each attack, you fell back. "Anyone there?!" You shouted over the communication system. A sea of static drowned out any replies, only contributing to your current frustration. The only thing left was to regroup with the rest.

You could hardly make out anyone in the dust and fire. The occasional warp strike provided a blue flash of hope. You kept your body low and sprinted over to the mass of bodies retreating. A large weight dropped on your shoulders and made you jump back. "Easy! it's just me!" Pelna tightened his arm around your shoulders and pulled you behind a large boulder. "Fucking hell, I nearly stabbed you!" you yelled. Despite your words, a smile of relief overcame your face. Pelna held up his hands in defense. "We're retreating, you need to go now" he advised, he pushed you toward the overpass leading to the Lucis side of the ravine. "What about Nyx?" you asked. The two of you were separated along the way, you couldn't help but be worried. "No time, captain's order" Pelna argued. You shuffled forward hesitantly, waiting for any sign of Nyx. Pelna stayed close behind, urging you forward. "He'll be alright ____, we need to clear before the spell is finished" Pelna continued. You swallowed and picked up the pace. The further you went, the clearer the communication became. Soon, you could hear the buzz of Drautos issuing orders and calling for a headcount.

"Fall back immediately!" he roared to all on the battlefield. You regrettably retreated, running past a wounded Libertus. "Libertus!" you called out. The man heard you but it was too late. A Behemoth approached him from behind, and it was coming fast. The large creature snarled as it's large paws pounded the earth below. You hesitated for a moment, allowing Tredd to take you roughly by the arm. "C'mon chic!" he forced you to stumble with him. "But Libertus!" you resisted him, wanting to help your comrade. In that grand moment, Nyx warped through the air and stuck his kukuris into the middle head of the Behemoth. You sighed in relief, finally allowing Tredd to take you away.

You both had made it back behind the rendezvous point, out of range of the magic attack the others were preparing. Tredd wore a sour expression while looking you over. "Don't go getting yourself killed, especially for one of us" Tredd lectured you. He regrettably sounded strict, but you didn't mind it. Ever since you began working alongside Nyx, everyone cautioned you to not pick up his reckless behavior. You did your best for the most part. It was hard not to run into battle and take up arms next to your fellow glaives.

Even now, you looked back and watched Nyx ran back for Libertus. The spell had already been cast and sent the lesser demons to their demise. Strong winds pulled demons and magiteks into the core of the spell. The dust and clouds made it hard for anyone to see the large device dropping from the sky. The large machine roared to life, lighting up with flames. The shoulder-like areas on the machine opened and released a flurry of missiles into the air. Fire rained down and exploded across the bridge. Dust and explosions clouded your sigh on Nyx. "He needs help!" you cried out as you tried to brush past Tredd. However, he grabbed your arm and tugged you back to him roughly. "We were ordered to retreat!" he shouted as he dragged you with him. You couldn't hear him over the pounding in your ears. You managed to slip from his grip and made a beeline for the bridge. 'It's gonna fall' you thought to yourself. A wave of energy overcame you and brought you to your knees.

'Heed me child, what is it you wish?'

"Give me the power to save them..." you choked out.

An emerald light coursed through the ground underneath you and stretched to the now falling bridge. Glowing pillars emerged, supporting the structure as Nyx dragged Libertus across. You watched in awe, completely distracted from the rest of the battle going on around you. It wasn't until Nyx caught you by the collar, did you jump back to your feet. The three of you stumbled back across to the compound, urging Libertus onto a stretcher. The rest of the glaive was quiet. Some in mourning, while others still in shock over the attack. You didn't get much time to rest, as Nyx was ready to give you an earful.

"What was that?" he hissed rather loudly. The soft buzz around camp reminded you that anyone could be listening. "What was what?" you asked in a hushed voice. Nyx led you behind one of the large trucks and ducked ushered you into a squat. "You know what I mean, the magic" Nyx's stern voice made you swallow hard. "Well it worked didn't it?" you defended hurridly. "Doesn't matter, you are supposed to be under the radar" he reprimanded quietly. You pursed your lips into a fine line of annoyance. Of course, you had expected him to lecture you. "Well I couldn't let you just die out there" you argued back. Nyx started to say something but stopped, he rolled his eyes and ran his hand through his hair. "Okay but still, doing that was bad" his voice was weaker than before.

Heavy footsteps struck alarm in the two of you, urging a faux air of relief. Drautos approached from around the truck, a sour look on his face. "Nyx, ___" he addressed rather dryly. Nyx clenched his jaw and looked off into the distance. "Might I remind you that when I order a retreat, you have to retreat" Drautos stated cooly. "Yeah well, I can't just sit back and watch a friend die" Nyx snide remark made you anxious. Drautos was hardly amused by the lip. "Well now you can watch the gates of the citadel, you're on suspension glaive" Drautos replied sternly. "Don't get so cocky, don't forget your using borrowed power from the king" he continued before leaving. Drautos turned to you and gave you a hard stare. "When we return, I want an explanation as to what magic you used" he finished before walking away. You released a breath you didn't know you were holding. Nyx rose from his position and glanced at you. "Let's go, before he finds another thing to yell about" Nyx sighed.

The ride back was quiet, mostly from everyone being exhausted. You were stuck between Crowe and Nyx, both leaning on you. Despite the exhaustion, you didn't feel very tired. Somewhere along the way, you had felt replenished. You chalked it as another perk of having an Astral as your fairy godmother. Upon entry back into Lucis, everyone trudged out of the truck and collapsed in the briefing room. "____, a word" Drautos called to you. He led you to a secluded area, wearing his usual stern expression. "Earlier you used magic that was never cleared through me, care to explain how you came across it?" he asked. Your mind ran as you tried to think of an acceptable excuse. "I...picked up some weird magic item..." you said meekly. Drautos raised a brow, urging you to continue. "I-It was a one-time thing though haha...sorry if I wasted it..." you felt your self-shrink under his gaze. A moment passed before Drautos sighed. "Well, I am a bit disappointed you didn't bring it up earlier, but there is nothing we can do about it now" he explained. You nodded along in agreement. "Next time report any bizarre findings to me as soon as possible" he ordered. "Yes sir!" you saluted him. "Dismissed" Drautos watched your shoulder relax and you run off back to the briefing room.

"Such a shame, but sacrifices must be made"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Contact me  
> Tumblr: http://toreadortacos.tumblr.com/  
> Twitter: @H3nroko


	26. Back to Insomnia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You return to Insomnia, but everyone is tense. Can your really go back to your peaceful life?

**"Keep every promise you make and only make promises you can keep."---(Anthony Hitt)**

Insomnia wasn't the same upon your return. Nothing had changed physically, but tension hung in the air like a day old birthday balloons. Everywhere you looked, there was some form of coverage on the approaching Niflheim army. It made you nervous to think a war could break out. But there was no point worrying about it yet, not yet.

With Nyx being on gate duty till the evening, you were free to go about your day. You eagerly texted the guys that you were back in town. Prompto, being the first to text back, wanted to meet up near a cafe. You had grown some much-needed muscle while away and had trouble finding clothes that fit. You choose a comfy and casual style set, nothing too impressive.

As you were nearing the cafe you checked your phone to make sure you were on time. "Hey! Over he..." you heard Prompto's voice die out. He had stopped a few steps away from you, mouth agape. "Prompto? Freckles? Hello?" you snapped your fingers in front of his face, seemingly breaking him from his daze. "I-I, ah, um, you, yeah" Prompto ran his hands through his hair as he tried to find words. Now you were feeling nervous. "Prompto, full sentences this time" you urged him to continue. Prompto's face exploded with red as he laughed nervously. "You looked jacked! I mean in a good way! Uh? Nice?" Prompto went back in forth as he tried to choose the right words.

You felt a wave of relief overcome you. Suddenly, you felt like laughing. Prompto was startled by your outburst until you began hugging him. You felt tears forming in your eyes and you buried your face into his shoulder. "I missed you so much" you cried into him. "Insomnia isn't the same without you, I'm glad you're back" Prompto confessed as he hugged you back. You let go of him and pulled away. "How have the others been?" you asked. "Ah well, Iggy and Gladio are busy as always" Prompto laughed. "And Noct?" you added cautiously. "He's the same as always" Prompto smiled. This brought you relief. Despite all the chaos outside the wall, the people most important to you were still the same. "Hey! Wanna grab something while we're here?" Prompto suggested. You nodded and followed him into the cafe.

You hurried off to meet Crowe, Pelna and Libertus in the slums for dinner. A vendor there sold Gallahad food, or at least as advertised. As you approached, you made out the dissatisfied groan of Libertus. "This thing itches!" he complained, indicating to his cast. "It's what you deserve" Crowe clicked her tongue from the other side of the small table. You couldn't stop the laugh from rising out of you, gaining both of their attention. "Oh har har, laugh at the injured guy" Libertus complained. You sat down next to Crowe and smiled at Libertus. "Better be careful next time then" you shot back. "Wow, I wonder who you take after" Pelna joked, he ordered a few rounds of drinks for everyone. "Well not me, that's for sure" Libertus sighed. "You can thank the sharpest glaive for that" Luche belted from the railings.

While you all shared banter, Nyx approached from the stair with his coat over his shoulder. "Hey, rough day at the gates?" Libertus nodded to Nyx. The latter scowled in disgust. "You jerk, it's your fault he got stuck there" Crowe jumped in, giving Libertus's cast a shove. Libertus groaned in pain, giving her a glare. "Easy you two, let's not break his other leg" you laughed. "Not a very nice welcome for a hero" Nyx smiled as he made his way to the table. Crowe rose from her seat and looked Nyx over. He was dressed in his casual clothes, contrasting with his unique uniform. "Not a very nice outfit for one either" Crowe taunted as she passed him. Nyx rolled his eyes, but he was still smiling. "It brings out my eyes, don't you think so [Name]?" Nyx walked over and sat next to you. "Yeah, makes them pop with chivalry" your sarcastic tone earned you a small shove.

Pelna placed a tray of skewers on the table and went to get the drinks. Libertus was the first to dig in, his face twisting with disgust. "Ugh, what did you put in this? It tastes like a chocobo turd" Libertus grimaced. You tasted it for yourself, definitely not good but it wasn't terrible. You missed Libertus argument with the chef, trying to swallow down what you chewed. "Hey Libertus, you thank Nyx yet for saving your life?" Crowe asked, diverting the man's attention. "C'mon Crowe, Nyx and I are to close for that" "He helps me and I help him, that's how it's always been" Libertus explained. You scoffed and rolled your eyes. Nyx handed Libertus his coat, eyeing the pill bottle in the pocket. "Looks like you got a little something else huh?" Nyx scowled. "I need all I can get" Libertus ignored the latter comment and placed his coat next to him.

You couldn't help but notice the tension at the table. You felt relieved when Pelna brought the drinks. A few drinks would help wind everyone down hopefully. "So Nyx the gatekeeper, how's the new post treating you?" Pelna asked, handing Nyx a drink. "Oh, I wanna hear about it too" you added. Nyx tilted his head and shrugged his shoulders at your enthusiasm. "Oh it's amazing, you guys would love it, gatewatch are a bunch of sweethearts" Nyx lied. "Yeah right, we know they hate us, outsiders, more than anything" Pelna explained. "Really? Why?" you asked. You had yet to meet any of the gatewatchers, you only knew not to talk to them unless absolutely necessary. "They're so bored that got nothing better to do" Pelna continued, he took a long sip from his cup.

Yours remained untouched. That was right, the majority here didn't care for the people outside the wall. That's why you had to lay low. You were outside the wall for so long, you forgot that unspoken truth. "Boredom with them means peace in Lucis, I'd fight 100 more wars for Galahad's safety" Nyx declared. His lips were pressed into a fine line, you knew that look meant he was serious. "Fight all you want, just don't go dying yet, I still owe you a lot" Pelna slipped in, easing some of the tension. "Where would the glaive be without its hero" Libertus added in sarcastically.

Crowe had finally had enough, you could see the irritation painted on her face. "Can you not talk like this while were drinking, please" she interrupted. "Besides, we just sent the niffs running with their tails between their legs right?" she continued, glancing at you. "Yeah, we won so it's fine right?" you added in. Everyone smiled or nodded in agreement, well almost everyone. "They weren't running from us, they were toying with us" Luche spat, causing everyone to turn to him. "Stop being such a buzzkill Luche, we all know what happened" Nyx defended quickly.

"Well, did you know they sent an envoy to the citadel after that?" Luche challenged. Everyone grew tense at the mention of a niff being inside the walls. "What for? To offer their surrender?" Libertus asked. "More like to demand ours" Luche suggested. Libertus's face scrunched up in anger and he slammed his cup down. "Demand? My ass!" he shouted.

"Y'know? Think about it, the empire has got Lucis on its last legs, it's the perfect time to make demands" Luche's words didn't sit well with anyone. You looked around hopefully but were met with masks of doubt. No one spoke, finishing their drinks and cleaning up. You didn't touch yours, suddenly you didn't feel like drinking.

The walk back was quiet, Nyx walked ahead of you. From here you couldn't tell what he was thinking, but you knew he was still bothered by the conversation. "Hey" he stopped abruptly, causing you to walk into his back. "Yeah?" you watched him turn around and look down at you. "Don't mind Luche okay? Everything is going to be fine" he patted your shoulder reassuringly. "But I goofed up, now they know where Alexander is" you felt Nyx's grip on you tighten. "You saved us, you saved me, don't ever feel bad about that" Nyx argued. You nodded slowly, you felt yourself relax a bit.

"I won't let them take you, the empire won't get through these walls I promise" Nyx declared softly. You stared at him, he looked so serious about it. Even with all the odds stacked against you, somehow you still believed him. "Okay, but you better keep your promise" you warned him.

How foolish you both were.


	27. Our Fated Path

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The time has come for you to go, your journey begins on a light note despite the danger lurking in the dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha, I've been dealing with some chronic pains. Managed to get this one out. Hopefully, I'll be able to push out more.

**"The beauty of independence, departure, actions that rely on themselves."---(Walt Whitman)**

The next day, news broke that Insomnia would sign a peace treaty with Niflheim. That wasn't the only thing that bothered you. You felt your chest grow tight as the words broadcasted live across Lucis.

Noctis was to marry Lunafreya.

You stared at the tv, the truth still hard to swallow. Even as the glaive began to buzz with their complaints, you couldn't stop thinking about that. You wanted to be happy for them both but at the same time...

No, you didn't have the time to think like that. You were the last to get into uniform, entering a tense room of glaives. "Oh ____...." Crowe's sadden voice didn't do anything for your mood. "You'd best run back where you came from too" Tredd glared at you. Taken back, you glared back. "Come to think of it, where exactly did you come from? Galahad? Doesn't look like it" he continued. "Tredd, literally what the fuck?" you stomped over, only to be stopped by Luche. "He's right though, we never really heard about where you came from" it was Luche's turn to glare at you. Eyes were on you as you scoffed. "So, you guys think I'm a niff or something?" you tried not to let the hurt sound in your voice. "You tell us" Luche challenged you.

"Guys stop, that can't be true" Nyx stepped in front of you. "How can you be so sure, Mr.hero?" Tredd argued. Nyx glanced at you and then looked back to them. "Because the king himself knows, I doubt he would've let someone from the empire reside in Insomnia" he defended. Everyone began muttering, not taking the truth very welcoming. "That's right, we shouldn't be turning on ourselves like this" Crowe stepped up next to Nyx, placing her hand on your shoulder. "I'm not staying because I want to fight for Insomnia," you said, taking Nyx and Crowe by surprise. "I'm staying to fight for the people I care about, and that means all of you too" you continued. The glaives went silent, a brief moment of regret passed through them. Regret for the doubt casted on you and the hurtful exchanges.

"Glaives, listen up" Drautos entered the room, disrupting the conversation from before. Everyone lined up and stood to attention. "As upset with the current situation you all are, we have a duty to protect Insomnia" Drautos looked over the group sternly. "Do not forget your duties, we are to uphold the peace until the signing of the treaty" he continued. A few faces scrunched in disgust at the mention of the treaty. "Crowe, you've got a new assignment, everyone dismissed" Drautos excused himself.

Crowe, bewildered, looked to Nyx and Libertus. "Assignment? What exactly?" she began. You hurried up to her, curious to know as well. "It must be important if you're only going" you tagged alongside Libertus and Nyx. You were all informed that she was going as an envoy to Lunafreya. Part of you was jealous, you wanted to meet her in person just as much as the next person. "I can't believe you're gonna meet her" you bounced along with Crowe as she headed to the van.

"I'll try and snag you an autograph" she gave you a playful punch on the shoulder. "How about a photo?" you bargained with your best smile. "Damn Nyx, you really did spoil this one" Crowe laughed as she reached into her pocket. She pulled out a small box and opened it. A beautiful hair comb shined in the sunlight, drawing everyone's gaze. "Wow did think you were the type" Libertus chuckled. "It's not for me, it's for the princess" Crowe gave him a harsh shove as she put the comb away.

"Just make sure you get it to her" Nyx joined in on the banter. "Who do you take me for?" Crowe rolled her eyes and jumped into the van. "Really, watch your back out there, you're like a little sister to me" Libertus added. "Yeah, yeah, just make sure our fledgling here doesn't ride any more giant birds" Crowe winked at you. "That was badass and you know it" you argued back. Crowe stuck her tongue out and closed the doors.

The van headed out, leaving you three to watch the back of it. "Will she be alright outside the walls? Y'know with all the niffs" you worried aloud. Both men glanced at each other, unsure themselves. "Crowe can handle herself, besides, we got bigger fish to fry" Nyx rest his hand on your shoulder, guiding you back to the Citadel. "She'll give em' hell too" Libertus hobbled along with you and Nyx, smiling confidently.

As you returned to the Citadel, Clarus greeted your group at the gate. "Ah ____, a word" he held out his hand to gesture you to follow. "May I ask what this is about?" Nyx stepped in front of you. "My apologies, the king requires you come as well" Clarus explained. Nyx relaxed slightly, giving Libertus a knowing look before following Clarus. He led the two of you off into a secluded conference room. By the time you sat down, the king shuffled in.

"Y-your majesty!" you quickly rose to your feet, saluting. Nyx did the same, earning a chuckle from the elder. "It's fine, here we are friends" Regis limped over to the head seat, accompanied by Clarus to this right. "Now, I'm sure you both wonder why it is I've called you here" he began. You were on the edge of your seat, last time you were given an astral. What on earth could it be this time?

"____" you sat upright at the mention of your name. "It is time I answered your questions, for I have a request of you and you alone" he continued. Nyx shifted in his seat, glancing at you nervously. "You mean about being the Seer of Eos?" you asked quietly. Regis shook his head. "About your parents, your predecessor, and what is to come" he explained. You felt your mouth go dry, all of this was too much to handle at once.

"I apologize, but time is not our friend as of late" Regis turned to Clarus with a grim look. "This is a long story, but I must not spare any details" Regis placed his hands on the table, together in a solemn position.

_Long ago, I requested aid from Saga and the Children of the Crystal. During this time, Niflheim had begun suspicious activity in Lucis. Originally, I had requested only aid. However, two brave and adept soldiers came forward for an infiltration mission. Those individuals were your parents. The two were adamant about going through with the mission, they had a fire in their eyes just as you do. They were successful in their mission, however, they paid for the success with their lives. both of your parents returned at death's doorstep, our doctors did what they could. Saga never blamed the throne, she continued to aid us despite the threat of Niflheim. Of course, we provided what we could spare. Alas, the Children of the Crystal couldn't stand against the Niflheim. Saga had known this outcome long before, sending you and the children to Insomnia. I and my son were going to meet at the rendezvous point, but the Niflheim reared their ugly heads. Your bravery lessened the casualties of that day, I cannot thank you enough._

This information was hard to swallow. You were sitting on more questions than answers. You began to speak, but Regis silenced you with one look. "I must ask you to leave Insomnia, to guide my son through his journey ahead" he explained. "Leave? With all those Niflheim about?" Nyx jumped to his feet in a panic. "Of course, you are free to decline" Regis continued. Your grip on your seat tightened. "As I said before, I am to blame for your parents passing and again I present a choice equally as dangerous" Regis lowered his head slightly. He took a deep breath, facing you.

"It is your choice"

_Stay or Go_

_Noctis or Insomnia_

_Live or Die_

You felt your head throb. It had to be Alexander. You could feel it in you, there was only one choice to make.

"I'll go"

Nyx, Clarus, and Regis turned to you with surprised looks. "I-I want to be there for Noctis, I have my duties as the Seer of Eos" you continued. "And your duties as a Glaive?" Nyx challenged. You bit your lip, finding it hard to keep face. "If I am successful, then even Insomnia can be saved" you retorted. Nyx shook his head, but he knew you were right. "Why now?" Nyx turned back to Regis. "I've already sent my son and his friends off to Altissia, there are those wavering in loyalty to the throne about" he explained. "That is why we must speak in private, you must leave without anyone else knowing" he continued.

"I can leave now, I'll take Fenrir" you jumped to your feet. "Slow down, we need to discuss this" Nyx shot you an authoritative glare. "As I said Nyx Ulrich, time is not our friend" Regis stood up slowly, leaning on Clarus for support. He made his way over to you, resting his hand on your shoulder. "Everything has been prepared, you're set up to leave through a secret passage within the Citadel" Regis and Clarus went ahead, leaving you alone with Nyx.

"So you are really going?" Nyx didn't sound the least bit happy with your choice. "Nyx...I have to, Noctis needs me" you begged. Nyx gritted his teeth, glaring at the table. "I know, I know, it's just..." he held his head for a moment, sighing deeply. "I didn't think I'd have to sacrifice you to the throne too" he muttered. You felt a small gasp escape you. Of course, Nyx had been worrying about this from the start. The Glaives, Noctis, and the War. All of it put you at risk.

"I'll be fine Nyx, you and the others have trained me well" you did your best to comfort him. "I can't help but worry about you" Nyx cleared around the table and pulled you into a hug. You hugged back, equally as upset. "Just make sure I have a nice home to return to" you laughed, tears stinging your eyes.

"I promise"

* * *

 

The trip out of Insomnia was long and nearly desolate. you concluded it was because of the war, no one wanted to be between Insomnia and the Niflheim. Your goal was to reach Hammerhead and catch up with Noctis, you were given information on the Regalia and knew what to look for. As you sped down the road, you couldn't help but marvel at the landscape. It wasn't too long ago you were out here, but each time felt as memorable as the last.

You noticed a stalled vehicle up ahead. A large man raised his hand, attempting to flag you down. You sped up, shooting by the group without a second thought. Your quick eyes had captured the scene, making you almost swerve into the railing. It was the Regalia. Ignis was in the driver's seat, Gladiolus had waved to you, Prompto and Noctis had been lying in the rear of the vehicle. You continued ahead. Your little motorcycle wouldn't be much help, they needed a tow truck.

As you pulled into Hammerhead, a beautiful blonde woman stalked up to you. "Heya, are you the zippy fella we were told about last minute?" she asked. Zippy? Oh, she meant Fenrir. "Yes, I-I just saw Noc-the prince back there" you stuttered a bit. She was dressed a little less than you'd like, but you had to remain professional. "Uh-huh, Paw Paw said they should just push her 'ere, it'll build character" she laughed.

"Huh?" you were shocked by the change of plans. Of course, a car breaking down is never 'planned'. "Don't you worry your pretty lil'head, if it gets too late I'll pick 'em up" Cindy gave you a wink and began walking back to the garage. You rolled Fenrir as you followed, still confused. You got to meet Cid, another one of Nana Saga's acquaintances. "She'd come by 'ere when she could, aged like a fine whiskey too" Cid chuckled. "Paw paw!" Cindy's complaints were forgotten as he looked at you. "You look just like 'er, brings back some good memories" he continued.

"Are we really going to wait for them to push the Regalia here?" you asked. Cid nodded without hesitation. "It'll teach those boys someth'n, life out 'ere ain't as soft as it is is Insomnia" he grumbled. You finally gave up, deciding to hit the dinner while you waited for the guys to catch up. After a few hours, you heard the familiar banter of Noctis and Ignis. You felt your palms grow sweaty, how would you explain meeting out here?

You peeked from inside the dinner. Shit! They were coming this way. Thankfully, Ignis stopped Noctis as he reached the door. They turned around and headed back to the garage. You left the dinner quietly, stealthily observing the group. You stayed close enough to hear their conversation. Cid was putting them up to odd-jobs. Great.

"Have y'all seen your buddy? I thought y'all would want to go together" Cindy looked around, slightly confused. The guys looked to one another, also confused. "We weren't expecting anyone" Noctis explained. Ignis scanned the area, his eyes honing in on your crouched form. "I do believe we have a guest" he smirked. You came out of hidding, pouting at him. "How are you doing that? Seriously Iggy" you avoided their gazes, embarrassed by the situation. "Call it intuition" Ignis sauntered over to you. Gladiolus was close behind, leaving Noctis and Prompto in shock.

You had some explaining to do.


	28. Errands Erryday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You meet back up with the guys for a few errands. Everything feels right, but you can't shake off the ill-feeling of the wedding.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kinda rushed, but I need to summarize this bit. Next bit is gonna be heavy as fuck so I don't want to spare any details for when trash jesus makes his appearance.

**“Do you really think this will be over someday and things will go back to normal?”---(Jason Medina)**

You briefly explained to the guys that you were sent to protect Noctis on his way to Altissia. Gladiolus and Prompto were ecstatic to have you, the two bombarded you with side activities to do along the way. Ignis, at first, was skeptical of this change. "It's not that I doubt your capabilities, I am just worried about the sudden change without my knowledge" he assured you. Ignis proceded to explain how he looked forward to showing you around Altissia at a later date.

Noctis became sullen at the mention of Altissia. You were taken back at his change of mood. "No, this is great, really" he didn't sound convincing to you. "So, what happened with the car?" you asked, a change of topic was needed. All four of your companions let out exhausted sighs, avoiding eye contact. The shame was obvious, not the best topic to change to. "Okay, so what are we going to do about the car?" your voice came out stricter than you liked but this was getting ridiculous. "Cid has been gracious enough to provide us with odd jobs to compensate for his services" Ignis explained. "It isn't ideal, but it's better than nothing" Gladiolus added with a grin. Obviously, he didn't mind the work. You glanced at the other two, Noctis and Prompto donning tired frowns.

"Well, if Cindy asks us then I don't mind so much" Prompto smiled. Noctis rolled his eyes, sighing loudly. "If it gets the car fixed" he sulked. You held back a laugh, these guys never do change. "Then let's get to it, the sun won't wait for us" you lead the way out of Hammerhead. Ignis briefly explained that the first task was to hunt nearby Sabertusks. You felt confident in your abilities to handle the lesser feral creatures. You walked ahead with Gladiolus, ready to attack. Gladiolus summoned his broadsword while you summoned a pair of gauntlets.

The two of you had no trouble fighting off the majority of Sabertusks. You glanced back to Noctis and Prompto, noticing them breaking a sweat. "C'mon guys, you can't be tired after that" you scolded them. Prompto gasped and Notcis gave you a mean side eye. "Yeah, where'd all that training go?" Gladiolus laughed, strolling up to your side. "Not everyone has your monster stamina" Noctis argued. You and Gladiolus shared a look, smirking at one another. "Ignis is fine though" you teased.

Ignis, standing off to the side of this quarrel, adjusted his cuffs idly. "But it's Ignis!" Prompto whined. You and Gladiolus continued to lead the hunts, with Ignis advising attack plans. Prompto and Noctis straggled behind, worn from all the fighting. Your final task was to search for a hunter named Dave. "Finally, something not fighting" Noctis sighed in relief. "I wouldn't say that so soon" Ignis pushed up his glasses ominously. He was right, there had to be a reason Dave was missing.

You all had hunted down the shack Dave was last seen at, only to be ambushed by Sabertusks. "I swear, it's like everything is out to get us" Prompto finished off the last enemy with a skillful shot to the head. "I guess we're just that irresistible huh?" Gladiolus chuckled. However, all jokes went out the window as it was revealed to be the wrong location. "What about that over there?" Noctis spotted a smaller shack off in the distance. Thankfully, Dave had been in that shack nursing a sprained ankle.

Just as Prompto was going to rejoice being done, Dave had requested aid with taking down a Dualhorn. "Work and no play" Prompto complained, you could tell he was eager to get the car back. "No rest for the wicked" Ignis's curt reply had the boy straightening up. "I'm sure this will be the last task Prompto" you lied. Something told you that this was going to be a long journey.

Gladiolus had helped with tracking down the Dualhorn. Just as Dave had explained, the creature looked vastly different than the Dualhorns you had encountered before. Its tusks were blood red and the creature looked obviously mutated. "All right, let's do this" Noctis summoned his weapon only to be caught by his collar. "I'll take the lead on this" Gladiolus tugged Nocits behind him and summoned his broadsword. "That thing looks vicious!" Prompto crouched behind Noctis, gun ready. "And it's coming this way!" you announced as the animal charged directly at you.

Thankfully, Gladiolus was able to parry the Dualhorn and create an opening. You followed up with an uppercut, moving out of the way so Prompto could fire at its underbelly. Ignis and Noctis struck form overhead with their lances, landing side by side. The Dualhorn went down after a few more attacks, the creature's resistance proved to be a challenge for all of you. With the beast finally down, now your tasks were complete. You all headed back to Hammerhead, tired and eager for rest.

Upon your return, Cindy had called to inform Noctis that the repairs were complete. When you all arrived at the garage, the vehicle was parked outside next to a smiling Cindy. "All done, ain't she purdy?" Cindy stepped aside and showed off the extravagant car. "She's back in business!" Prompto cheered with a huge grin. "Almost to pretty for the road" Gladiolus marveled alongside Prompto. "All the more reason to be careful" you cautioned all four of them. Ignis nodded in agreement, humming in delight as he checked the interior.

Cindy was talking to Noctis as you walked back to your motorcycle. "Wait, aren't you gonna ride with us?" Prompto caught you walking away. "Well, I mean I don't know if I can just leave Fenrir here..." you trailed off as Cindy eagerly ran up to you. "Oh I don't mind a bit, paw paw wouldn't mind hold'n that for ya" she grinned. "Really?" you felt relieved, you actually did want to ride in the Regalia. "Uh huh! Anything for a good pal, just give me a call when you need your bike" Cindy handed you a piece of paper with a set of numbers scribbled on it. "I will" you pocketed the paper and followed Prompto back to the Regalia.

"Okay guys, the moment of truth" Prompto leaned on the care with his back to the group. Everyone else appeared puzzled, unsure where he was going. "Where do you wanna sit?" Prompto turned to you with a playful grin. You took a moment to process his question, unimpressed by his dramatics. "What? Oh, c'mon just let me sit in the middle" you climbed into the backseat, stopping in the middle. "Then I'll just-" Prompto began to climb in after you but was stopped by Gladiolus. "I thought you said 'I call shotgun'" he chuckled, sitting down on one side of you. "That was then, this is now" Prompto ran to the other side only to be stopped by Noctis. "Sorry, RSVP'd till the end of the trip" Noctis smirked.

Prompto pouted, taking his seat in the front passenger side. Ignis stifled his laughter, taking his seat behind the wheel. Ignis let the top down and the wind blew in your face. "We have one stop, Cindy asked another favor of us" Noctis explained to you. Ignis rolled into a small post, stopping in front of the hotel. you exited the car glancing around as Noctis checked in with the hotel owner.

A bark caught your attention. Umbra trotted up to your group, his tail wagging happily. "Hey, it's Umbra" Noctis smiled, crouching to pet the dog. "Look at him, bringing us stuff" Prompto cooed. "How does he keep finding us?" Gladiolus crossed his arms as he examined the dog. "Certainly 'nose' how to find us" Ignis smiled. "You could say he was on your 'tail' since you left the city" you joined in. Gladiolus gave you both dry looks, unimpressed with your jokes.

You watched Noctis pull out a small journal, it was the same journal from Lunafreya. You turned around, giving him some privacy. You had wandered away a bit. You still felt awkward about the journal ever since the last time you read it. "Don't wander too far, we'll only be a minute" Ignis's voice stripped you from your thoughts. "Oh, yeah" you shyly shuffled back to the group. Noctis had been talking to an attendant, he took on another short errand. "What? Really?" you were surprised, Noctis wasn't one to do work.

"Luckily, he's right over there" Prompto picked out Dave next to the Crow's nest. Noctis went to hand over the letter. That was when we learned that the Hunters wear dog tags to identify their corpses. "That's so sad..." you thought back to the glaive. There wasn't a system like that, once someone died we just moved on. "Those tags are heavy stuff" Gladiolus agreed. The mood quickly dampened from the previous conversating, leaving Prompto restless.

"Uh, hey! Who wants to grab a bite to eat?" he looked around hopefully. Your stomach growled loudly, answering for you. "I haven't eaten since I left the city..." you flushed in embarrassment. "Neither have we" Ignis added. "I could go for a bite" Noctis led the way to the Crow's nest without looking back. You all climbed into a booth, you sat with Prompto and Noctis. Ignis had ordered a few meals for everyone. "Nice choice, cheap and well within out spending range" he noted aloud.

"Wouldn't want to break the bank so far from Galdin Quay" Gladiolus agreed. When the food arrived, it became a battle. Prompto was determined to try one of everything. Noctis wasn't willing to share but offered some of his food in exchange for yours. Gladiolus was stealing from your plate without regret. Ignis was ready to give everyone a firm introduction with the menu that was still on the table. Needless to say, the spirits had been raised.

"It's getting a tad late, we should make arrangements for tonight" Ignis glanced over at the hotel. "Oh right" Gladiolus chuckled, he rubbed his chins as if he was contemplating something. You, Noctis, and Prompto looked at the hotel curiously. "Oh man, a fluffy bed sounds nice" Prompto smiled. Noctis was just eager to sleep. You hadn't given it much thought, joining them as they left for the hotel.

"Oh man, the moment of truth" Prompto whispered to Noctis. "The what?" he replied, deeply troubled by the statement. "Oh c'mon, who is gonna share a bed with ____?" Prompto hissed. Noctis shrugged, it wasn't like you two didn't share a bed before. Ignis made the reservations, leading everyone to the room. "Ah, and Prompto, ____ will have a room separate from ours," he said sternly. You couldn't help but laugh as Prompto's neck burned red with embarrassment. "How. Did. He. Know." Prompto gasped.

Ignis handed you your key, still giving Prompto a stern look. "And no one will be sneaking out tonight, we need to rest up for tomorrow" he added. "Yes sir" you saluted to Ignis before heading off to your room. You heard a collective 'Goodnight' behind you before you closed the door. Tomorrow was going to be the day, you'll board a ferry to Altissia, Noctis will get married to Luna and you'll watch them from a distance.

You fell on your bed. The bad feelings were back. You didn't want these feelings.

You hoped sleep would come fast tonight.


	29. On to Altissia, not!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another setback and a creepy face...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A small poll, should I skip some of the side quests or are you interested in them? If I skip them I will probably just add them to the drabble section.

**"Progress requires setbacks; the only sure way to avoid failure is not to try."---(Henry Spencer)**

 

The next morning was slow. Not just because you had to wait for Noctis to get up. You and Prompto went around searching for something to do, coming up short except for a pinball game. Ignis was reading the paper while he drank his Ebony. Gladiolus had gone off on a morning jog and was now doing push-ups in the hotel room. You all came together as a sleepy Noctis stumbled out of bed. "About time you woke up" Gladiolus finished his set and gave Noctis a friendly shove. "What time is it?" he replied with a small glare. "Time for us to head out" Ignis folded up his newspaper and stood up.

You and Prompto had been chatting outside on the bench. He had taken a few pictures while on the road and shared his best shots with you. You both perked up as Gladiolus walked over. "Come on kids, time to move" he chuckled. "Hey! You're not that much older" Prompto huffed. "I dunno man, I think I see crows feet" you teased. Gladiolus rolled his eyes, heading to the Regalia. You sat in the back between Gladiolus and Noctis again. "Hey" Noctis greeted you casually. "Hey yourself" you replied with a grin.

Ignis let the top down again and started the car. Upon leaving the outpost, the radio began broadcasting a special announcement from Lunafreya. Her voice echoed into your mind, reminding you of the few dreams you shared with her. Now you were on your way to meet her. You hear thumped against your chest, excitement or anxiety? You weren't sure. "Sounds like Lady Lunafreya is hopeful about this treaty," you said aloud. "So is the lucky groom" Gladiolus smirked. Noctis groaned loudly, avoiding your prying eyes. "Is that an 'I do'?" Prompto snickered. "Buzz off" Noctis brushed off your teasing and looked off at the passing land.

The regalia passed over a bridge, giving you a nice view of the sea. "I see the sea!" Prompto announced excitedly. You leaned over Gladiolus to get a look as well. "I 'sea' it too" Noctis chuckled, leaning with you to get a look. The sun reflected off its surface, creating this mystical look from your current elevation. "We're really gonna cross that?" you gaped, it there was nothing visible on the horizon. "Yes, the only way to Altissia is by ferry" Ignis explained. He took a sharp turn and the road dipped into a small valley area.

"There it is!" Prompto bounced in his seat eagerly. "It is?" you asked. "That would be Galdin Quay" Ignis pointed to the large resort area. "What's that mountain behind it?" Noctis scrunched his face up as he examined the large structure. "That's an island" Gladiolus corrected him. "Who cares? No one comes to Galdin Quay for an island, they come for the ocean and massages" Prompto sighed blissfully. You nodded in agreement, both did sound more appealing than an island. "Galdin Quay is well known for their seafood, ____, we should go for a sample before we leave" Ignis smiled at you through the rear view mirror.

"Oh, yeah" you nodded in agreement. "Sounds good to me, I was feeling rather hungry" Prompto leaned into view, blocking you from Ignis's eyes. The latter, 'gently' pushed Prompto back into his seat. The rest of the ride was brief, allowing you to gaze out at the island. Something was pulling your attention to it. You grabbed your bracelet on reflex, feeling the magic burning from it. You'd try listening to Alexander later, maybe he would know something.

As the Regalia rolled in, you already felt the 'mood' of the resort. Multiple tourists walked around, talking casually to one another. You climbed out of the Regalia and looked around. There was much more to do here than the Outpost. "We should check in with the ferry first," Ignis said aloud, halting both you and Prompto. You all followed the long deck leading to the main resort. It felt like when you walked through the gates of the Citadel. "Welcome to Galdin Quay!" a chipper voice startled you. The employees waved to you as you passed, definitely a resort alright.

You stuck close to Ignis and Noctis as you walked in. You didn't notice the stranger walking directly up to you. "I'm afraid you're out of luck" a sultry voice made you stop in your tracks. You felt like you heard that voice before. "Are we?" Noctis eyed the man suspiciously. "The boats bring you here" the man gestured behind him, indicating the dock in the rear of the building. "What about 'em?" Prompto shifted nervously, he didn't like this guy either.

"Well, they'll not take you forth" the man explained, scratching his head curiously. "Does it have something to do with the ceasefire?" you asked aloud. The man smirked at you, only putting the others on edge. "And what's your story?" Noctis asked as you all walked around him. Ignis caught your wrist, keeping you between him and Noctis as the man passed. "I'm an impatient traveler, ready to turn ship" the man turned heel and walked toward the entrance. You kept your head down, avoiding his gaze. You could feel his eyes boring into your body, it made you itch.

"The ceasefire's getting us nowhere" he mumbled, playing with a coin. He quickly turned and tossed the coin at Noctis. Gladiolus easily caught it, glaring at the stranger. "What's this? Some sort of souvenir?" Gladiolus wasn't the slightest amused by the stranger's antics. "They make those?" Prompto ran over to inspect the coin. "What? No" Noctis quickly shut his friend down, continuing to glare. "Consider it your allowance" the stranger smiled devilishly at you and Noctis as he spoke. "Yeah and who's allowing us?" Gladiolus stepped in the way of you and Noctis, blocking the stranger from your view.

The stranger lifted his arms, showing no aggression or fear of Gladiolus. "A man of no consequence" he replied, turning heel and walking out. You felt your head throb, causing you to drop to your knees. "Are you okay?" Prompto was quick to your side. He grabbed your shoulder, looking over you with concern. You released a shaky breath, letting go of your head. "I'll...be fine" you slowly rose to your feet. Prompto stayed close to you, in case it happened again.

"Why don't you two wait here, we'll check the dock" Gladiolus nodded to Noctis and Ignis. Everyone seemed to be in agreement, parting ways. You sat down on one of the large white seats in the main part of the resort. "What happened back there?" Prompto asked. "I don't know, it just came out of nowhere" you confessed. You weren't sure why your head began to hurt like that. "That guy was shady, maybe your nerves got to you?" Prompto offered. He wasn't wrong, that guy definitely made you uncomfortable.

"In any case, let's just hope we never run into him again" you smiled weakly. Prompto nodded, looking to the harbor. "I wonder what's taking them?" he fidgeted nervously. "Let's go look" you stood up, ushering Prompto to follow. You both made it to the stairs, meeting Noctis as he climbed up. "Sorry for the wait, we've got a side job to tackle," he said sourly. Ignis followed after, briefly explaining the deal made with the reporter Dino.

"Oh wow, everyone seems to have you by the tail" you sighed. Another set back, you were beginning to think you would never make it to Altissia. "Now I see what Cid meant by 'losing your dignity'" Gladiolus chuckled. "You've been reduced to a delivery boy" Prompto snickered, earning a shove from Noctis. "Better than being weighed down by my rank" he replied. You all began to head back to the Regalia, Noctis patted your shoulder to get your attention.

"Feeling better?" he asked. You nodded, giving him your best smile. "I guess it was all in my head" you laughed. He grimaced, but let a small laugh escape his lips. You didn't notice the small ball of fur walking up to you. A small pat on your leg made you stop. You looked down at a white cat, looking at you expectantly. "Hey, there" Noctis crouched down to its level. "Someone's needy" you joined him, lowering yourself to the deck.

The cat meowed, indulging you both in conversation. Noctis offered to give the cat food, submitting himself to yet another request. "We'll get you a nice big fish" you promised the cat. It meowed, sealing the deal. "What a pur-ferct transaction" Prompto teased you both. Ignis and Gladiolus didn't seem to mind either. "Okay, first we fish" Noctis lead the way to the small fishing dock. "Oh, great prince of fishing, what shall we catch?" you teased.

Noctis summoned his fishing rod, rolling his eyes. "Galdin Trevally are biting today, that should be fine" he explained. Prompto tossed his legs over the side of the deck, playing with his camera. Gladiolus was chatting up the fishing shop while Ignis stood next to you. "Let's hope you catch one" he teased. Noctis brushed him off, casting his reel. In minutes, he had a bite. You watched eagerly as he drew the fish in. "Watch the line" Ignis warned. "Move with the fish!" you exclaimed.

"No backseat fishing!" Noctis complained. He drew the fish in with a final tug. He crouched down and pulled the fish from the water. "That's how it's done" he smirked. Prompto rolled his eyes, getting up quickly. "Let's get this back to the fish man" he seemed eager to take pictures of the cat. You headed back only to find that the cat wasn't impressed by the fish. As it would appear, the fish would need to be cooked. After a few run around with the chef at Mother of Pearl, you were able to secure a dish for the cat.

"Alright, eat up your highness" you placed the dish in front of the cat. It happily ate away, ignoring you. "Spoiled little thing" Noctis laughed. Prompto was busy snapping away at the cat. "Sound like someone we know" he snickered. "And who would that be?" Noctis sharp retort was met with laughter. "Let's not forget our deal" Ignis was quick to remind you three. Oh right, the gemstones.

"It's getting late, let's set up camp" Gladiolus suggested. Now that you noticed, it was getting dark. It wasn't safe to go out at night, you knew this all too well. "Aw c'mon, we're at a resort" Noctis complained. You and Prompto joined in as well. "Yeah, think of the fluffy beds" Prompto sighed blissfully. "I meant, it wouldn't hurt right?" you shifted nervously. "It would be best not to expend all our funds just yet" Ignis stern tone silenced you three.

Gladiolus hummed in delight, carrying most of the equipment. You, Noctis, and Prompto drug your feet, carrying what you could. Ignis kept a close eye on you all. He turned his back only to prepare tonights dinner. "Aw man, what a waste" Prompto said sadly. "Maybe we still have a chance? That Dino might pay us or something" you tried to lift their spirits. "He had better, we're doing all this footwork for him to shut up" Noctis growled, irritation radiating off him.

Suddenly, your wrist felt like it was burning. "Uh, 'scuse me" you quickly dashed off to the tent. You zipped the door shut and sat with your legs crossed. You steadied your breathing and connected to the energy around you. The campgrounds fell from you, enveloping you in light. A giant structure stood before you, resembling a palace.

_'Child, you felt it too did you not?'_

"Felt what?" you asked.

_'The darkness, you engaged with the tainted one'_

"Tainted? By what?"

_'There is far too much to explain and our time is short'_

"Wait, Alexander!"

You were ripped from your medium as someone shook shoulder. "Hey, foods up" Noctis announced. You stared at him for a moment, still in a daze. "Oh, thanks" you shook him off and crawled out. "Is everything okay?" Noctis asked. You hesitated, you couldn't share with him just yet. "For now" was the only thing you could say.

You hadn't realized how true your words were.


End file.
